Next Article in Journal
The Efficacy of Ketogenic Diets (Low Carbohydrate; High Fat) as a Potential Nutritional Intervention for Lipedema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Previous Article in Journal
Macular Pigment Optical Density as a Measurable Modifiable Clinical Biomarker
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Changes in Food Waste among a Sample of U.S. Consumers after Beginning Anti-Obesity Medication

by
Jamil Mansouri
1 and
Brian E. Roe
2,*
1
Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
2
Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3274; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193274
Submission received: 28 August 2024 / Revised: 25 September 2024 / Accepted: 26 September 2024 / Published: 27 September 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Nutrition and Obesity)

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP1As) are increasingly prescribed to treat obesity. While studies document how these medications impact dietary habits, their relationship to consumer food waste is unexplored. Approximately one-third of all food is wasted, which creates substantial economic and environmental damage. The purpose of this study is to assess how consumers alter food waste after beginning GLP1As and to identify factors associated with this relationship. Methods: Retrospectively reported changes in the amount of food wasted since beginning a GLP1A are gathered from a sample of 505 U.S. consumers via a self-administered online survey. Regression analysis yields associations between changes in post-GLP1A-uptake food waste and the length and type of medication use, medication side effects, post-uptake changes in dietary habits, and respondent characteristics. Results: A total of 25% of respondents agree they waste more food since beginning the medication, while 61% disagree. Respondents are significantly less likely to agree with this statement if they have been on the medication a longer time and are significantly more likely to agree if they reported experiencing nausea since beginning the medication. Dietary changes consistent with more vegetable intake are also significantly associated with less waste. Conclusions: Uptake of a novel class of anti-obesity medications may significantly affect food waste patterns. With the potential for widespread adoption of such medications, and given the societal import of reducing food waste, understanding the interaction of these two consumer trends is critical for projecting their joint impact on the food system and for equipping new GLP1A users to limit food waste.
Keywords: food waste; anti-obesity medications; glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist; U.S. consumers; survey food waste; anti-obesity medications; glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist; U.S. consumers; survey

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Mansouri, J.; Roe, B.E. Changes in Food Waste among a Sample of U.S. Consumers after Beginning Anti-Obesity Medication. Nutrients 2024, 16, 3274. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193274

AMA Style

Mansouri J, Roe BE. Changes in Food Waste among a Sample of U.S. Consumers after Beginning Anti-Obesity Medication. Nutrients. 2024; 16(19):3274. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193274

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mansouri, Jamil, and Brian E. Roe. 2024. "Changes in Food Waste among a Sample of U.S. Consumers after Beginning Anti-Obesity Medication" Nutrients 16, no. 19: 3274. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193274

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop