See also this[20] more recent meta-analysis that came to a similar conclusion about alternative proteins and other meat reduction interventions.
👋 I am lead author of that paper!
Two studies we looked at addressed alt proteins directly
Bianchi
2022
Replacing meat with alternative plant-based products (RE-MAP): a randomized controlled trial of a multicomponent behavioral intervention to reduce meat consumption
10.1093/​ajcn/​nqab414
Acharya
2004
Nutritional changes among premenopausal women undertaking a soya based dietary intervention study in Hawaii
10.1111/​j.1365-277X.2004.00537.x
The second paper is a small sample and doesn’t really address what we consider the modern generation of alt proteins. The first does. From that paper’s abstract:
Methods
Adult volunteers who regularly consumed meat were recruited from the general public and randomized 1:1 to an intervention or control condition. The intervention comprised free meat substitutes* for 4 weeks, information about the benefits of eating less meat, success stories, and recipes. The control group received no intervention or advice on dietary change. The primary outcome was daily meat consumption after 4 weeks, assessed by a 7-day food diary, and repeated after 8 weeks as a secondary outcome...
Results
Between June 2018 and October 2019, 115 participants were randomized. The baseline meat consumption values were 134 g/​d in the control group and 130 g/​d in the intervention group. Relative to the control condition, the intervention reduced meat consumption at 4 weeks by 63 g/​d (95% CI: 44–82; P < 0.0001; n = 114) and at 8 weeks by 39 g/​d (95% CI: 16–62; P = 0.0009; n = 113), adjusting for sex and baseline consumption. The intervention significantly increased the consumption of meat substitutes without changing the intakes of other principal food groups.
* Participants selected the meat-free substitute foods from a catalogue containing the full range of products available in a major UK grocery store at the time of the trial. This included mycoprotein meat alternatives and vegetable- and pulse-based meat substitutes.
How much should one update on this study? IDK. But by its own lights, giving people alt proteins for free—embedded in a larger intervention—had meaningful effects.
However, when we test intro-ing alt proteins in a hypothetical, online ordering, chipotle-like environment, alas we don’t find much.
Hi there
👋 I am lead author of that paper!
Two studies we looked at addressed alt proteins directly
The second paper is a small sample and doesn’t really address what we consider the modern generation of alt proteins. The first does. From that paper’s abstract:
Methods
Adult volunteers who regularly consumed meat were recruited from the general public and randomized 1:1 to an intervention or control condition. The intervention comprised free meat substitutes* for 4 weeks, information about the benefits of eating less meat, success stories, and recipes. The control group received no intervention or advice on dietary change. The primary outcome was daily meat consumption after 4 weeks, assessed by a 7-day food diary, and repeated after 8 weeks as a secondary outcome...
Results
Between June 2018 and October 2019, 115 participants were randomized. The baseline meat consumption values were 134 g/​d in the control group and 130 g/​d in the intervention group. Relative to the control condition, the intervention reduced meat consumption at 4 weeks by 63 g/​d (95% CI: 44–82; P < 0.0001; n = 114) and at 8 weeks by 39 g/​d (95% CI: 16–62; P = 0.0009; n = 113), adjusting for sex and baseline consumption. The intervention significantly increased the consumption of meat substitutes without changing the intakes of other principal food groups.
* Participants selected the meat-free substitute foods from a catalogue containing the full range of products available in a major UK grocery store at the time of the trial. This included mycoprotein meat alternatives and vegetable- and pulse-based meat substitutes.
How much should one update on this study? IDK. But by its own lights, giving people alt proteins for free—embedded in a larger intervention—had meaningful effects.
However, when we test intro-ing alt proteins in a hypothetical, online ordering, chipotle-like environment, alas we don’t find much.
Thanks for flagging this!
I should have double-checked this reference. Have made an edit to redirect people to this comment.