Photo credit: Jonas Jacobsson

A recently published study in Nutrition Journal shows that people with future-oriented personalities are more likely to consume organic food. In the study conducted in France, over 27,000 participants responded to a questionnaire that quantified how much the respondents considered the future versus immediate consequences of their actions, and paired that with the proportion of organic food they consumed in their diets. The more people thought about what consequences their actions could have in the future, the more they chose organic food. In addition to looking at how people’s outlook on life impacted their diets, the study had some interesting findings about other attributes affecting organic choices, and provided insight into communities that would most benefit from improved access to organic food.  For example, women consumed about three times more organic than men. People’s professions and income levels also played a role. Students and farmers consumed less organic than retirees, managerial staff, or intellectual professionals, but overall, people in lower income brackets consumed more organic than in higher income brackets regardless of their profession. Where people lived also influenced their organic consumption. The most densely populated urban communities consumed the most organic, while the suburban communities consumed the least, and rural communities were in between. This study gives us a glimpse into how people’s thinking about the future can impact what they eat, and also lays out some areas where access to organic can be improved.