{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T18:29:34Z","timestamp":1787596174358,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787270400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The objective of this study was to examine how the public interprets the term \u201cplant-based.\u201d A self-administered survey was conducted July 7-9, 2025, following the Best Practices for Survey Reach of the American Association of Public Opinion research. A total of 2202 participants responded. Participants were asked their understanding of the term \u201cplant-based.\u201d Population data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on education, age, race, and region. Descriptive statistics were reported using chi-squared test. Fifty-six percent equated \u201cplant-based\u201d to vegan, 35% with eating abundant plant foods as part of an omnivorous diet, 2% chose \u201cother\u201d and 7% chose \u201cdon\u2019t know.\u201d Those aged 65-94 were more likely to equate the term with vegan (63%), while those aged 18-34 (51%), Hispanics (48%), Asian Americans (46%), and adults from northeastern United States (48%) were least likely. Use of \u201cplant-based\u201d without definition leaves room for misinterpretation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/15598276261480005","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T19:51:46Z","timestamp":1787341906000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Consumer Interpretation of the Term Plant-Based Diet"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-1117-6091","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shannon","family":"Menhardt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Physicians Committee for Reponsible Medicine and Barnard Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA (SM)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6453-7438","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Herby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1635-3532","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Neal","family":"Barnard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emily","family":"Forbes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Former Dietetic Intern with Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_8_2_2","volume-title":"\u201cPlant-Based\u201d Among New Words Added to Merriam-Webster\u2019s Dictionary for 2022","author":"Bailey W","unstructured":"Bailey W. Oat milk. In: \u201cPlant-Based\u201d Among New Words Added to Merriam-Webster\u2019s Dictionary for 2022. Vegetarian Times. Published September 8, 2022. https:\/\/www.vegetariantimes.com\/news\/dictionary-new-words-2022\/. Accessed 1 August 2025."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2016.10.086"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.11909\/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.05.008"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7812\/TPP\/12-085"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2017.06.006"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ijc.30287"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41430-021-01023-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_9_2","unstructured":"US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protections. Human subject regulations decision charts. Updated 2023. Accessed January 13 2026. https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/ohrp\/regulations-and-policy\/decision-charts\/index.html"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_10_2","unstructured":"Good Food Institute. Retail sales data: plant-based meat eggs dairy. 2021. https:\/\/gfi.org\/marketresearch\/. Accessed 6 November 2025."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_11_2","unstructured":"ProVeg International. Plant-based vs Vegan: Understanding Consumer Perceptions of Food-Labeling Terms. ProVeg International website. 2021. Accessed November 6 2025. https:\/\/proveg.org\/report\/terminology\/"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_12_2","volume-title":"How to Drive Plant-based Food Purchasing: Key Findings from a Mindlab Study Into Implicit Perceptions of the Plant-based Category","author":"Parry J","year":"2019","unstructured":"Parry J, Szejda K. How to Drive Plant-based Food Purchasing: Key Findings from a Mindlab Study Into Implicit Perceptions of the Plant-based Category. The Good Food Institute; 2019."},{"key":"e_1_3_8_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/foods11152339"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tjnut.2024.11.017"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jnha.2024.100272"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajcnut.2022.11.019"},{"key":"e_1_3_8_17_2","volume-title":"Breast Cancer and Plant-based Diets: Unhealthy Foods Linked to 20% Higher Risk","author":"Guildford A","unstructured":"Guildford A. Breast Cancer and Plant-based Diets: Unhealthy Foods Linked to 20% Higher Risk. Medical News Today. Published June 21, 2022. https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/breast-cancer-and-plant-based-diets-unhealthy-foods-linked-to-20-higher-risk#Not-all-plant-based-diets-are-equal. 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