Jul 21, 2026 05:33 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1136959
INTRO: Nostalgia is a major barrier in preventing more people from adopting plant-based diets, according to a new University of Stirling study. Research led by Aga Kosla of the University’s Faculty of Natural Sciences found that links to childhood, cultural identity and a sense of home can make dietary changes feel like a loss of self or tradition for many people.
Findings showed that people’s attachment was less often about meat itself – and more about links to personal experiences and cultural traditions.
Lead author Ms Kosla said: “Our research shows that dietary change is not just a practical or nutritional issue. Food is tied to identity, belonging, and family life, so vegan advocacy, activism, and public health messaging needs to engage with those emotional and cultural attachments.
“This study highlights that resistance to plant-based diets is not simply about taste or convenience, but about maintaining continuity with the past and preserving meaningful traditions. Interestingly, participants often realised that it was the shared experience, not the specific ingredient, that mattered most.”
Efforts to encourage people to adopt either a plant-based diet or a vegan lifestyle often focus on health, ethics, animal rights or the environment – overlooking personal and social connections to food. Researchers believe that the findings could help producers, campaigners and public health organisations make plant-based options feel less like a loss, by recreating nostalgic or culturally significant dishes using vegan ingredients... (MORE - no ads)
INTRO: Nostalgia is a major barrier in preventing more people from adopting plant-based diets, according to a new University of Stirling study. Research led by Aga Kosla of the University’s Faculty of Natural Sciences found that links to childhood, cultural identity and a sense of home can make dietary changes feel like a loss of self or tradition for many people.
Findings showed that people’s attachment was less often about meat itself – and more about links to personal experiences and cultural traditions.
Lead author Ms Kosla said: “Our research shows that dietary change is not just a practical or nutritional issue. Food is tied to identity, belonging, and family life, so vegan advocacy, activism, and public health messaging needs to engage with those emotional and cultural attachments.
“This study highlights that resistance to plant-based diets is not simply about taste or convenience, but about maintaining continuity with the past and preserving meaningful traditions. Interestingly, participants often realised that it was the shared experience, not the specific ingredient, that mattered most.”
Efforts to encourage people to adopt either a plant-based diet or a vegan lifestyle often focus on health, ethics, animal rights or the environment – overlooking personal and social connections to food. Researchers believe that the findings could help producers, campaigners and public health organisations make plant-based options feel less like a loss, by recreating nostalgic or culturally significant dishes using vegan ingredients... (MORE - no ads)
