Changes in diet and lifestyle during year one of Wageningen freshmen: the Wageningen Student Cohort

Consumers across the world are advised to adopt a more plant-based diet to limit the detrimental climate effects of the meat, dairy, and fishing industry. In the Netherlands, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has set a policy goal for the ratio of animal to vegetable protein in the Dutch diet to be 50/50 by 2030. Slowing down climate change, together with concerns about animal welfare, are indeed major reasons for consumers to become (partly) vegetarian or vegan. However, the policy-intended shift to a more plant-based diet is as a societal challenge.

Vegetarian and vegan diets offer a number of health benefits. They contain a lower amount of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher amounts of fiber, various antioxidants, and phytochemicals than ‘traditional’ western diets. Vegetarians and vegans are usually leaner and live longer, although bias from other lifestyle factors (education, social-economic background) certainly plays a role. Due to these health benefits, nutrition and dietetic associations across the world support a vegetarian and even vegan diet, provided that consumers choose adequate alternatives or supplement their diet with some crucial vitamins and minerals.

Indeed, without animal foods in the diet, the chance of dietary deficiencies, especially of vitamin B12, iron, and iodine increases. Besides potential deficiences, long-term health effects of choosing a completely vegan diet in affluent societies are unclear. Ongoing research projects about vegetarian and vegan diets focus predominanlty on risk groups such as elderly and infants. However, we feel that more research is needed in the front-runners of the protein transition, namely young adults.

Starting student life is an important phase in making dietary and lifestyle choices. Wageningen University attracts students that are concerned about planetary health and animal wellbeing, and students are open to change and engaged. Studying their dietary transitions and associated lifestyle and health changes provides a unique model for the society as a whole if we advocate a plant-based diet. As the protein transition requires a multidisciplinary approach, several research groups within WUR and stakeholders outside the university are involved in this project.

In short, first-year bachelors are invited to fill out several questionnaires on food habits, dietary intake and mental wellbeing. Height and weight will be assessed, hair samples will be taken, and blood will be collected. The aim is to assess metabolic markers of health and disease in venous blood, hair, urine and fecal samples. By working with researchers from several chair groups, a wide variety in expertise and research interests is available.