Examining the association of climate change worry and awareness of ecological footprint reduction behaviours with Mediterranean diet adherence and climate-friendly food choices

Abstract

Purpose

Consumers’ preferences for more sustainable dietary patterns and more climate-friendly foods can play a significant role in mitigating the effects of climate change. Accordingly, the present cross-sectional study aimed to examine the role of climate change worry and awareness of ecological footprint reduction behaviours in undergraduate consumers’ adherence to the Mediterranean diet and climate-friendly food choices.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study was carried out with 600 healthy undergraduate students, including 255 (42.5%) males and 345 (57.5%) females. They completed the climate change worry scale, the awareness scale for reducing ecological footprint and the Mediterranean diet adherence scale. In addition, participants’ climate-friendly diet scores (CFDS) were calculated to evaluate climate-friendly food choices. Data were analysed using SPSS software.

Findings

Linear regression models indicated that climate change worry was positively associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (β = 0.121, p = 0.003) and CFDS (β = 0.087, p < 0.001). Similarly, a positive association was observed between the awareness of ecological footprint reduction behaviours and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (β = 0.179, p < 0.001) and CFDS (β = 0.098, p < 0.001).

Research limitations/implications

The results may indicate that worry about climate change and awareness of ecological footprint reduction behaviours can promote higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet and more climate-friendly food choices, but the observed associations do not imply causality, and further studies are required to determine whether causal links exist.

Originality/value

This study examined the relationships between climate change worry, awareness of ecological footprint reduction behaviours, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and climate-friendly food choices in a single study on undergraduate students.

Citation

Kabasakal Cetin, A., Şen, G. and Aksaray, B. (2025), "Examining the association of climate change worry and awareness of ecological footprint reduction behaviours with Mediterranean diet adherence and climate-friendly food choices", British Food Journal, Vol. 127 No. 1, pp. 168-181. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2024-0577