Knowledge of and attitudes towards vegan and vegetarian diets amongst students at a university located in rural Poland

Background: Healthy plant-based diets, such as vegan and vegetarian diets, as well as planetary health diets, meet the recommendations of sustainable dietary patterns and are healthier for both the planet and humans. The adoption of these dietary patterns may depend on socio-demographic factors and individual motivations. Aim: This study aimed to analyse the association between socio-demographic factors and knowledge and attitudes towards vegan and vegetarian diets amongst university students. Methods: This anonymous survey included 241 students from a university in rural Poland. The association between respondents’ socio-demographic factors and the investigated categorical variables was analysed. Results: Only three respondents followed a vegan or vegetarian diet during the study. In general, the respondents were unwilling to reduce their meat consumption (55.9%). The willingness to do so was significantly higher amongst women than men (39.4% vs. 15.1%; p = 0.0002), meat avoiders than omnivorous respondents (68.4% vs. 25.0%; p < 0.0001) and health discipline students than non-medical students (47.7% vs. 23.0%; p = 0.0004). Higher awareness of the benefits of plant-based diets was confirmed amongst women, health discipline students and those who avoided meat. Vegan and vegetarian diets were perceived amongst the total number of respondents as more expensive (56.9%) and more difficult to follow compared to omnivore diets (74.7%); in turn, substitutes for animal products were as easily accessible (61.8%). The term ‘planetary health diet’ was used by only 13.7% of the students surveyed. Conclusions: Promoting the benefits of plant-based diets is important, especially in small, traditional communities, where previously acquired patterns mostly determine dietary choices. The inclusion of issues involving planetary health and sustainable diets into curricula and non-medical fields will enable their promotion amongst young adults in general.