Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Duffrin, Melani

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions

Abstract

Overconsumption of meat negatively impacts human and environmental health, and these challenges are expected to worsen due to global population growth and increasing meat consumption. Many consumers appear unwilling to reduce their meat intake, and this resistance to dietary change is more common among adult men than women. However, data about meat-eating attitudes and behaviors are lacking for younger generational cohorts. Generation Z (i.e., those born between 1995 and 2010; Gen Z) is a growing consumer group whose dietary decisions will have environmental and human health consequences. Little is known about Gen Z's meat consumption habits and behaviors and whether this population exhibits a gender gap in meat intake. The purpose of this study was to understand the overall dietary patterns, current meat consumption habits, and intention to reduce meat intake among Gen Z college students. Additionally, this study aimed to identify demographic factors and COM-B theoretical constructs that predict meat consumption habits and a reduction in meat intake in this population.

A 40-item online cross-sectional survey assessed demographic characteristics (13 items), current meat consumption habits (3 items), intentions and stance toward reducing meat intake (2 items), and factors influencing a reduction in meat intake (22 items) among Gen Z college students at two Southwestern Virginia state colleges (n = 1,403). Factors influencing a reduction in meat intake were categorized according to the COM-B theoretical model, where psychological capability (4 items), physical capability (3 items), physical opportunity (3 items), social opportunity (4 items), reflective motivation (3 items), and automatic motivation (5-items) were assessed using a Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic data, dietary patterns, dietary habits of meat consumption, and intentions toward reducing meat intake. Generalized linear models (GLM) with Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) model selection were used to assess whether eight demographic factors and six COM-B constructs predict 1) meat consumption habits and 2) the transtheoretical model (TTM) stages of change for reduced meat intake of Gen Z college students.

Most students adhered to an omnivore diet (91.9%) and consumed meat 6 – 7 days per week (65.3%). Most students were also in the TTM pre-contemplation stage of change for meat reduction (81.5%), indicating that they were satisfied with their weekly meat intake and did not see a need to change it. Gender differences were evident for both meat intake frequency and the intention to reduce meat consumption. Meat intake frequency was best explained by a model that included automatic motivation, gender identification, college institution, reflective motivation, psychological capability, and physical opportunity, with automatic motivation and gender identification having the greatest effect. In contrast, the intention to reduce meat consumption (TTM stages of change) was best explained by a model that included reflective motivation, automatic motivation, social opportunity, and psychological capability. Both reflective and automatic motivations were the strongest predictors within this model. These results provide foundational information necessary to design effective interventions to reduce meat intake in Gen Z college students. Targeted interventions that use a multi-faceted approach emphasizing student motivations may improve outcomes for behavior change in this population.

Extent

288 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS