Climate Change and the American Diet

A 2020 survey of 1,043 U.S. adults found that while most Americans are willing to eat more plant-based foods and less red meat, significant barriers exist, including cost, taste, and lack of access—particularly for lower-income households. The report highlights a gap in awareness, as many respondents do not fully connect meat and dairy production to global warming. It also notes that individuals categorized as 'Alarmed' or 'Concerned' regarding climate change are the most likely to adopt pro-climate dietary behaviors and hold food companies accountable for their environmental impact.

• A vast majority of Americans are open to increasing their intake of plant-based foods, with 94% willing to eat more fruit and vegetables, 55% willing to eat more plant-based meat alternatives, and 54% willing to eat less red meat.
• Health is the primary driver for choosing plant-based foods, cited by 91% of respondents, followed by taste (83%), ease of preparation (77%), and price (75%).
• Financial and structural barriers are more pronounced for lower-income Americans (households earning <$50,000), who are more likely to report lacking access to nearby grocery stores (20% vs 9% for higher-income) and fresh produce (14% vs 6% for higher-income).
• There is a significant perception that plant-based meals are more expensive; 49% of Americans believe a plant-based main course costs more than a meat-based one, while only 14% believe it is less expensive.
• Many Americans lack awareness of the link between livestock and climate change; only 27% believe beef production contributes 'a lot' to global warming, and 23% believe it does not contribute at all.
• Despite believing that reducing food waste helps the environment, 74% of Americans report throwing out spoiled or unwanted food 'sometimes', 'often', or 'always', and 72% 'rarely' or 'never' compost.
• Americans categorized as 'Alarmed' regarding global warming are significantly more likely to adopt pro-climate diets, with 77% willing to eat plant-based meat alternatives compared to 39% of other groups.
• The 'Alarmed' group is more likely to use their purchasing power to influence food companies, with 52% having rewarded companies for environmental steps and 42% having punished them by not buying their products.

APA

Leiserowitz, A., Ballew, M., Rosenthal, S., & Semaan, J. (2020). Climate Change and the American Diet. Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2020/02/climate-change-american-diet.pdf

Chicago

Leiserowitz, Anthony, Matthew Ballew, Seth Rosenthal, and Jillian Semaan. Climate Change and the American Diet. Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 2020. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2020/02/climate-change-american-diet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Leiserowitz |first1=Anthony |last2=Ballew |first2=Matthew |last3=Rosenthal |first3=Seth |last4=Semaan |first4=Jillian |title=Climate Change and the American Diet |publisher=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |date=2020 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2020/02/climate-change-american-diet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leiserowitz2020climate, author = {Leiserowitz, Anthony and Ballew, Matthew and Rosenthal, Seth and Semaan, Jillian}, title = {{Climate Change and the American Diet}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2020}, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2020/02/climate-change-american-diet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }