ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΙΟ ΔΥΤΙΚΗΣ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΣ

The main objective of this initiative is to promote the adoption of alternative proteins and support the transition towards more sustainable and healthier dietary patterns. Through scientifically documented interventions, the project aims to understand the factors influencing the acceptance of innovative proteins, strengthen nutritional awareness, and support behavioral change related to diet, public health, and sustainability.

The initiative is primarily addressed to:

healthcare professionals, who play a crucial role in promoting healthy dietary habits,
health sciences and nursing students, as future healthcare professionals,
consumers and citizens, through awareness-raising and educational activities,
scientific and agri-food stakeholders, with the aim of disseminating knowledge and developing sustainable practices in the food sector.

2 years

The nomination concerns the participation of the Department of Nursing of University of West Attica in the European project Protein4Impact – “Impact of Alternative Protein Sources to Improve Nutrition”, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, with a total budget of €5.27 million and the participation of 19 partners from 11 European countries.

The project is positioned within the rapidly growing field of sustainable nutrition and innovative proteins, an area of increasing strategic importance worldwide due to challenges related to public health, climate change, food system sustainability, and the transition toward more responsible dietary patterns.

The global alternative protein market is growing rapidly; however, social acceptance, understanding of dietary behaviors, and changes in consumer attitudes remain critical challenges. In this context, the IMPROVE project stands out because it focuses not only on the production of innovative protein products from unconventional sources — such as microalgae, macroalgae, fungi, bacteria, insects, and agri-food by-products — but primarily on studying the social impact and behavioral changes required for their adoption.

The University of West Attica plays a pivotal role in the project by coordinating Work Package 5 (WP5), entitled “Social Impact and Overall Dietary Shift in the EU,” which focuses on the social dimension of the transition toward alternative proteins. The Greek research team leads two particularly demanding and innovative actions: Task 5.1 and Task 5.2.

Task 5.1 concerns the implementation of a systematic review to record and analyze the factors influencing the acceptance of alternative proteins, with particular emphasis on gender aspects. The innovation of this action lies in the fact that it examines, for the first time on such a broad European scale, the relationship between gender, cultural characteristics, and dietary behavior regarding new forms of protein. Through mapping attitudes, perceptions, and prejudices, the project generates valuable scientific knowledge that can be utilized both in public health policymaking and in the development of targeted nutrition education strategies.

Even more innovative is Task 5.2, which involves the development and implementation of a comprehensive behavioral intervention aimed at enhancing the adoption of alternative proteins in the diet. The intervention is based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM) and is combined with Motivational Interviewing (MI), an internationally recognized methodology used to strengthen commitment and internal motivation toward behavior change.

The initiative stands out because it is implemented in two strategically important target groups: healthcare professionals from a university hospital in Athens and health sciences students of the University of West Attica. These groups act as key knowledge multipliers and directly influence dietary practices and health promotion at a societal level.

The intervention program includes 15 interactive group sessions of 90 minutes over a period of three months, involving small groups of 5–10 participants. The intervention is supported by comprehensive educational material, infographics, dietary guides, behavioral change strategies, and a low-cost recipe book featuring alternative proteins. In parallel, individualized participant assessment is conducted based on the five stages of behavioral change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance), allowing for the development of targeted interventions according to each participant’s readiness level.

This nomination differs significantly from similar research initiatives because it:

combines scientific research, social innovation, and behavioral intervention,
focuses on sustainable nutrition from a public health perspective,
utilizes evidence-based behavior change models,
incorporates gender and cultural acceptance dimensions,
develops practical educational and intervention tools with replication potential at a European level.

The expected benefits of the project are multiple and measurable. The intervention aims to improve knowledge, acceptance, and willingness to consume alternative proteins among healthcare professionals and students, while also contributing to reducing prejudice and strengthening sustainable dietary patterns. The evaluation conducted before and after the intervention through scientifically validated tools allows for the recording of actual changes in participants’ behavior and dietary awareness.

Furthermore, the project substantially strengthens the role of nursing science in research, prevention, and health promotion, highlighting the University of West Attica as an international research hub in the fields of sustainable nutrition and social innovation. Participation in a European consortium of 19 organizations, leadership of WP5, and the development of pioneering behavioral intervention tools make this nomination highly competitive and of significant added value for the European research and academic community.

Γαλλία – CENTRALESUPELEC, Ιταλία - (Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile) and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche and Consorzio per l’Innovazione e la Bioeconomia, Γερμανία - Universitaet Hohenheim, Βουλγαρία - VenusRoses Labsolutions, Πορτογαλία - Universidade do Minho, Δανία - Technical University of Denmark, Ισπανία - Fundacion CARTIF and IDENER Research & Development, Αυστρία - GOLEM Integrated Microelectronics Solutions, Μάλτα - Aquabiotech Limited, Σουηδία - Nordic Diaspora Forum and Agriclima Consulting AB, Κύπρος - Cyprus Consumers Association, Τσεχία - Grant Garant

Volunteer Participation

University of West Attica and General Hospital Georgios Gennimatas

A total of 70 healthcare professionals and 71 students participated in the study. Among healthcare professionals, 35 (50%) formed the control group and 35 (50%) formed the intervention group. Among students, 35 formed the intervention group and 36 formed the control group.

Among healthcare professionals, 62.9% of the control group and 65.7% of the intervention group were women. Most participants in both groups were married, held postgraduate degrees, and had monthly incomes above €1,500. The majority of professionals in the intervention group had more than 20 years of work experience. No statistically significant demographic differences were observed between groups (p>0.05).

Among students, the majority were women aged 17–19 years, unmarried, high-school graduates, and with limited work experience. Demographic characteristics between intervention and control groups were also comparable (p>0.05).

Knowledge scores regarding alternative proteins did not differ significantly between groups before the intervention. Following the intervention, both students and healthcare professionals in the intervention groups demonstrated significantly higher knowledge scores compared to the control groups (p<0.001). Significant improvements were observed only in the intervention groups, while no meaningful changes occurred in the control groups.

Similarly, attitudes toward alternative proteins improved significantly among intervention participants. Both healthcare professionals and students demonstrated more positive attitudes after the intervention (p<0.001), with students showing an even greater improvement compared to healthcare professionals.

The intervention also improved healthy eating knowledge and increased positive emotions associated with healthy nutrition. Participants in the intervention groups demonstrated greater openness toward novel foods, as reflected by significantly lower Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) and Food Technology Neophobia Scale (FTNS) scores after the intervention (p<0.001).

Behavioral change stages also shifted significantly. Among healthcare professionals in the intervention group, participants progressed from the precontemplation stage before the intervention to the action stage after completion. Similar improvements were observed among students, with significant movement toward action and readiness for adopting alternative proteins.

The key benefits for the University of West Attica and participating organizations include:

Strengthening international research visibility and extroversion through participation in a Horizon Europe project.
Positioning the institution as an innovation hub in sustainable nutrition and public health.
Developing scientific expertise in modern dietary behavior change models.
Establishing international collaborations with 19 European research and scientific organizations.
Enhancing the role of nursing science in prevention and health promotion.
Producing innovative educational tools and scientifically validated interventions.
Improving healthcare professionals’ and students’ skills regarding sustainable nutrition.
Contributing to the development of policies and practices promoting healthy and sustainable dietary patterns.