Sustainable Eating in Saudi Arabia: Associations Between Food Sustainability Knowledge, Attitudes, Food Waste-Related Behaviours, and Dietary Choices Among Adults

Background/Objectives: Sustainable food habits are essential for reducing the environmental impacts of a food system. We investigated food sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and food waste-related behaviours among Saudi adults and assessed their associations with socio-demographic characteristics and dietary choices, which are subjects that remain under-researched. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 855 Saudi adults (≥18 years) using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a validated online questionnaire assessing sustainability knowledge, attitudes, food waste behaviours, dietary choices, and socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and linear regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 29. Results: Overall, 32% of the study population demonstrated adequate sustainability knowledge, 61% expressed positive attitudes towards food sustainability, and 45% demonstrated favourable food waste management. Women were more knowledgeable than men. Participants who possessed a better understanding of food sustainability consumed more vegetables, fruits, and bread and less processed meat. Those with a positive attitude towards food sustainability exhibited higher consumption of red meat, white meat, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, fruits, bread, and sweet or savoury snacks. Meanwhile, individuals with better food waste behaviours demonstrated significantly lower consumption of legumes, fish, pasta, red meat, white meat, processed meat, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, fruits, bread, and sweet or savoury snacks. Conclusions: Saudi adults possess limited knowledge of sustainability and suboptimal food waste behaviours despite having relatively positive attitudes. These findings highlight opportunities for intervention. Public education, targeted campaigns, and media communication could enhance sustainability awareness and promote healthier, environmentally sustainable dietary patterns.