Cooper Deborah, Craddock Joel C, Beck Eleanor J
School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
School of Health Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025 Feb;38(1):e13403. doi: 10.1111/jhn.13403.
Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) are considered an alternative to animal products. We aimed to understand the patterns and drivers of consumption of PBMA and their nutritional contributions using dietary modelling, whilst also considering the relevance of processing.
This study used a mixed methods exploratory sequential approach. Semistructured online interviews (n = 19) with consumers and nonconsumers of PBMA were conducted. Thematic analysis of interviews considered drivers of PBMA consumption, with content used to develop personas to represent key concepts driving incorporation (or lack of intake) into dietary patterns. Diets were modelled for personas, based on recommended and typical population intake and with variations in processed foods based on the Nova food classification system, including PBMA. Diets were analysed against nutrient reference values.
The main drivers of PBMA consumption were animal welfare, health improvement and environmental concerns. Convenience, cost, taste, processing and thoughts that the nutritional value of PBMA was lesser than meats were all described. Six personas were identified from the interview content. The three most disparate personas (age, dietary pattern and nutrient requirements) were used for dietary modelling. Nutrient analyses showed diets predominantly meeting reference values, with deficiencies more likely when modelled on food choices typical of population intake and diets excluding processed foods.
This study found that PBMA may have beneficial nutritional qualities such as lower saturated fat and higher dietary fibre when compared to their meat equivalents. PBMA may have a place in a healthy diet, whilst alleviating animal welfare and environmental concerns which were identified as key drivers of consumption.
植物性肉类替代品（PBMA）被视为动物产品的一种替代品。我们旨在通过饮食建模来了解PBMA的消费模式和驱动因素及其营养贡献，同时也考虑加工的相关性。
本研究采用混合方法探索性序列研究方法。对PBMA的消费者和非消费者进行了半结构化在线访谈（n = 19）。对访谈进行主题分析，考虑PBMA消费的驱动因素，访谈内容用于构建人物角色，以代表推动将PBMA纳入（或未纳入）饮食模式的关键概念。根据推荐的和典型的人群摄入量，以及基于新食物分类系统（包括PBMA）的加工食品差异，为人物角色建立饮食模型。对照营养参考值对饮食进行分析。
PBMA消费的主要驱动因素是动物福利、健康改善和环境问题。受访者还提到了便利性、成本、口味、加工以及认为PBMA营养价值低于肉类等因素。从访谈内容中识别出六个角色。使用三个差异最大的角色（年龄、饮食模式和营养需求）进行饮食建模。营养分析表明，饮食大多符合参考值，当以人群摄入量典型的食物选择和不包括加工食品的饮食为模型时，更有可能出现营养不足。
本研究发现，与肉类同类产品相比，PBMA可能具有有益的营养特性，如饱和脂肪含量较低和膳食纤维含量较高。PBMA在健康饮食中可能占有一席之地，同时缓解被确定为消费关键驱动因素的动物福利和环境问题。
