Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward more sustainable diets: a scoping review.

This article focuses on synthesizing evidence about consumer attitudes and behaviors toward sustainable diets, defined as diets with low environmental impacts that support food security, health, biodiversity, cultural acceptability, and economic fairness. The review finds that consumers primarily understand sustainable diets through a human health lens, with limited awareness of the interconnected environmental and social dimensions. Key barriers to adopting sustainable diets include sociocultural norms, economic constraints, limited knowledge of environmental impacts—especially regarding meat consumption—and skepticism fueled by conflicting messages and vested interests. To support dietary shifts, the literature recommends multisectoral strategies including policy interventions to improve food environments, targeted education to build consumer knowledge and skills, and clear, evidence-based messaging that addresses cultural values and common misconceptions. Public health professionals are identified as central actors in promoting a holistic ecological public health approach to realign consumer understanding and encourage systemic changes toward sustainable consumption.