Elliott, P. S., Devine, L. D., Gibney, E. R., & O’Sullivan, A. M. (2024). What factors influence sustainable and healthy diet consumption? A review and synthesis of literature within the university setting and beyond. Nutrition Research, 103, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.004
Highlights
• We identified factors that may influence sustainable and healthy diet consumption.
• Using a novel scoring system, these factors were then ranked by priority.
• The scoring system identified high-priority factors to target in future research.
• Most high-priority factors were at the environmental level (e.g., product price).
• These findings can inform the development of future personalized interventions.

Abstract
Globally, typical dietary patterns are neither healthy nor sustainable. Recognizing the key role of dietary change in reducing noncommunicable disease risk and addressing environmental degradation, it is crucial to understand how to shift individuals toward a sustainable and healthy diet (SHD).
In this literature review, we introduced the concept of SHD and outlined the dietary behaviors necessary to transition toward SHD consumption; we reviewed the literature on factors that may influence sustainable (and unsustainable) dietary behaviors in adults; and we developed a novel scoring system to rank factors by priority for targeting in future research. Given the significant potential to promote an SHD transition on the university campus—where factors that may impact dietary behaviors can be targeted at all levels of influence (i.e., individual, interpersonal, environmental, policy)—we narrowed our focus to this setting throughout.
Aided by our novel scoring system, we identified conscious habitual eating, product price, food availability/accessibility, product convenience, self-regulation skills, knowledge of animal ethics/welfare, food promotion, and eating norms as important modifiable factors that may influence university students’ dietary behaviors. When scored without consideration for the university population, these factors were also ranked as the highest priority, as were modified portion sizes.
Our findings offer insight into factors that may warrant attention in future research aimed at promoting SHDs. In particular, the high-priority factors identified from our synthesis of the literature could help guide the development of more personalized dietary behavioral interventions within the university setting and beyond.