Want to Stay Vegan After Veganuary? Get Your Friends & Family Involved

A study by researchers at Hasselt University and ProVeg International found that involving friends and family in month-long dietary challenges like Veganuary can help people stick to their vegan diet in the long term. Participants who enlisted loved ones to join them in the challenge saw a significant reduction in animal product consumption compared to those who went at it alone. The social support provided by friends and family helped maintain the dietary changes even after the challenge ended, with participants continuing to reduce their meat intake months later.

The research also indicated that the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the dietary changes decreased by at least 21% over three days of the challenge, a trend that persisted three months later. The findings highlight the importance of using social networks for behavioral change and suggest that app-based interventions like the Veggie Challenge can be effective in reaching a larger audience and making behavior change techniques easily accessible. To encourage more people to adopt a plant-based diet, the study recommends targeting meat consumers beyond regular audiences and extending the challenge to maintain long-term dietary changes.