ASPO Abstracts
The Whole Food Plant-Based Diet (WFPBD) Survey: Pros and Cons of a WFPBD Among US Adults
Category: Lifestyles Behavior, Energy Balance & Chemoprevention
Conference Year: 2022
Abstract Body:
Purpose:Because WFPBD has metagenomic potential to improve cancer incidence and outcomes, we aimed to elucidate pros & cons towards a WFPBD using a new measure. This study provides preliminary data in a research progression that will develop, test, and optimize interventions to encourage consumption of a WFPBD. Methods:Participants were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform and paid $10 to complete a survey comprised of 77 items organized around a two-factor model (pros/cons of a WFPBD), with 7 theory-driven psychosocial constructs for each factor. Inclusion criteria were 18 years or older, English fluency, and resident of the US. Pros and cons for a WFPBD, demographic variables, and self-reported dietary measures were evaluated. Significant differences, alone and across relevant demographic variables, were assessed via chi-square tests using STATA version 16.1 Results:Our sample of 412 adults was primarily Caucasian or White (75%), 30 to 60 years old (54%), had a Bachelor's degree or higher (85%), and earned $45K or higher (68%). Mean value for pros (3.76) was slightly higher than for cons (3.23), and both were significantly associated with self-reported dietary pattern (p<0.001 for both), as expected. The highest agreement among pros constructs was for perceived health benefits (3.95) and knowledge of environmental impacts (3.95). For cons, the highest rated constructs were taste preferences (3.35) and attitudes towards animals (3.50). Income and education were inversely associated with instrumental support, perceived health benefits, and attitudes towards animals (p<0.05), while those identifying as Asian or Other reported lower self-efficacy for consuming a WFPBD. Compared to other groups, African American and Hispanic or Latino respondents reported lack of instrumental support and concerns about health of a WFPBD.Conclusions:The WFPBD Survey was able to detect significant differences among our sample, with decisional balance of pros and cons tracking with dietary pattern, and revealing important and significant variations across income, education, and race/ethnicity. These results may be instrumental for development and deployment of interventions intended to promote consumption of a WFPBD in diverse populations.
Keywords: Metagenomics, Whole Food Plant-Based Diet, Cancer Prevention Behaviors, Nutrition, Preventive Oncology