Assessing Plant-Based Diet Adoption in a Corporate Wellness Program: A Case Study

Thesis Abstract

The rapid rise of plant-based diets within corporate wellness initiatives presents both opportunities for employee health and challenges related to sustained adoption, cultural fit, and measurable outcomes. This study investigates the adoption dynamics of plant-based diets within a large multinational corporation, addressing the problem of low long-term adherence and uncertain health and productivity benefits among employees. The aim is to quantify adoption rates, determinants, and health-related outcomes, and to evaluate how wellness program components influence sustained behavior change. Specific objectives are (1) to determine the prevalence of plant-based diet adoption among employees participating in the corporate wellness program over a 12-month period; (2) to identify individual (e.g., health motivation, nutritional knowledge, perceived barriers) and organizational (e.g., program messaging, peer support, cafeteria options) determinants of adoption and maintenance; (3) to assess changes in cardiometabolic risk factors, dietary quality, and quality of life associated with adoption; (4) to evaluate the mediating role of self-efficacy and perceived social support in the adoption process; and (5) to develop actionable recommendations for optimizing program design. The theoretical framework draws upon the Health Belief Model and the Social Cognitive Theory to explain behavioral uptake and maintenance, complemented by the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model to integrate contextual facilitators within the corporate setting. A convergent mixed-methods design is employed. The quantitative strand features a cohort of 600 employees enrolled in the wellness program, with baseline and 12-month follow-up assessments. Dietary intake is captured via 3-day food records and the validated Plant-Based Diet Index, while clinical measures include body mass index, fasting glucose, lipid profile, and blood pressure. Psychological and behavioral constructs are measured using validated scales for nutritional knowledge, health motivation, self-efficacy, perceived barriers, social support, and quality of life. Data will be analyzed using multilevel mixed-effects regression to examine changes over time and determinants of adoption, logistic regression to identify predictors of sustained adherence, and mediation analysis to test indirect effects through self-efficacy and social support. The qualitative component consists of semi-structured interviews with a purposive sub-sample of 40 participants (20 adopters, 20 non-adopters) and 12 focus groups with program coordinators to explore facilitators and barriers, analyzed thematically via NVivo with a priori and emergent coding. Data integration will occur at the interpretation phase through joint displays and triangulation to corroborate quantitative findings with qualitative insights. Anticipated findings include a significant yet modest increase in plant-based diet adoption in relation to program intensity, cafeteria reform, and peer-led support, with more pronounced health benefits—improved dietary quality scores and favorable shifts in lipid profiles—among sustained adopters. The study is expected to contribute to knowledge by detailing how corporate governance, organizational culture, and program design influence dietary behavior change, bridging gaps between theory and practice in workplace nutrition interventions, and offering a validated model of adoption pathways within large organizations. Practical implications include evidence-based recommendations for scaling plant-based options in corporate cafeterias, tailoring communications to address perceived barriers, and strengthening social support mechanisms to sustain dietary changes. The conclusion emphasizes that meaningful health and productivity gains are contingent on an integrated program architecture that aligns nutritional education, environmental restructuring, and social support to reinforce self-efficacy and motivation over time. Recommendations for practice include iterative program evaluation, diversification of plant-based meal offerings, targeted messaging for different employee segments, and ongoing monitoring of cardiometabolic outcomes to demonstrate return on investment. Further research should explore contextual moderators such as job strain, shift schedules, and regional dietary norms to refine and generalize the model across diverse corporate environments.