The FLY-project

A Sustainable Diet

The way we currently produce and consume food has a significant impact on the planet and causes environmental damage, such as pollution, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity. Therefore, shifting towards more sustainable eating is very important. Sustainability is a broad concept. Some people think of nature, others of animal welfare or fair trade. According to the United Nations (UN), sustainable diets are “protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources.”

A sustainable diet, for example, includes more plant-based foods and fewer animal products such as meat and cheese. A diet with no or fewer meat and other animal products results in a lower environmental impact. Choosing local and seasonal products more often is also beneficial for the environment. Additionally, food waste is harmful to the environment.

Growing Up Amid the Climate Crisis

The consequences of the climate crisis will primarily affect young people. According to UNICEF estimates, about half of the current generation of young people are at “extremely high risk” of being confronted with the effects of climate change during their lifetime (e.g., due to droughts, floods, fires, and storms). At the same time, young people can lead the way in the global sustainable behavioral change that is needed. They are the citizens and policymakers of the future and are ready to combat climate change. In the FLY project, we are exploring ways to help young people in this effort.

Objectives of the FLY Project

Young people play a crucial role in the shift towards a more sustainable diet. In the FLY project, we study how young people think about more sustainable food, what barriers and facilitators there are in eating more sustainably, and what they need to make the transition to a more sustainable diet. We engage with young people in secondary schools and track (changes in) their eating habits and the factors influencing them. Together with young people, we develop and test interventions that can support the transition to a more sustainable diet, with a focus on the role of group processes.

About us

The FLY project is a research initiative by Utrecht University. In this project, we engage in discussions with groups of young people and follow several school classes in the Netherlands over a number of years. We investigate how young people perceive sustainable food, what motivates and hinders them in adopting more sustainable eating habits, and what they need to transition to a more sustainable diet. It’s not equally easy for everyone to choose a more sustainable diet or, for instance, to eat less meat. That’s why we will work together with young people to investigate ways to eat more sustainably and contribute to a more sustainable world. Supported by a grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), we are exploring this together with young people.

The research is being conducted in collaboration with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the municipality of Utrecht.