Vegetarianism In America

Vegetarian Times Study Shows 7.3 Million Americans Are Vegetarians and an additional 22.8 Million Follow a Vegetarian-Inclined Diet.

Vegetarian Times Study Shows
7.3 Million Americans Are Vegetarians

Additional 22.8 Million Follow a Vegetarian-Inclined Diet

The just-released “Vegetarianism in America” study, published by Vegetarian Times (, shows that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all. In addition, 10 percent of U.S., adults, or 22.8 million people, say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

Data for this survey were collected by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau on behalf of Vegetarian Times. The poll surveyed 5,050 respondents, a statistically representative sample of the total U.S. population. Vegetarian Times commissioned RRC Associates, a research firm in Boulder, Colo., to perform the data analysis.

The 2008 study also indicates that of the non-vegetarians surveyed 5.2 percent, or 11.9 million people, are “definitely interested” in following a vegetarian-based diet in the future.

The study also collected data on age, gender and other demographic factors. Of the vegetarians surveyed:

  • 59 percent are female; 41 percent are male.
  • 42.0  percent are age 18 to 34 years old; 40.7 percent are 35 to 54; and 17.4  percent are over 55.
  • 57.1 percent have followed a vegetarian diet for more than 10 years; 18 percent for 5 to 10 years; 10.8  percent for 2 to 5 years, 14.1 percent for less than 2 years.

The 2008 study also indicated that over half (53 percent) of current vegetarians eat a vegetarian diet to improve their overall health. Environmental concerns were cited by 47 percent ; 39 percent cited “ natural approaches to wellness” ; 31 percent cited food-safety concerns; 54 percent cited animal welfare; 25 percent cited weight loss; and 24 percent weight maintenance.

“The vegetarian sector is one of the fastest-growing categories in food publishing,” says Elizabeth Turner, Vegetarian Times’ editor in chief. “It’s a dedicated group of consumers that is growing daily.”

“A vast number of people are seeking to reduce their meat intake, creating a rapidly growing market for all things vegetarian,” says Bill Harper, vice president and publisher of Vegetarian Times. That trend is reflected in the growth of the magazine, which saw July through December 2007 newsstand sales increase 19.4 percent over the same period in 2006.

About Vegetarian Times:
For over 30 years, Vegetarian Times has been at the forefront of the healthful-living movement, providing recipes, expert wellness information, and environmentally sound lifestyle solutions to vegetarians, vegans, and non-vegetarians alike.

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Is there a paper that this article is citing? If so and anyone has the link I'd love it, I need it for a research project. Sorry disrupt the insult hurling.

K - 2014-06-04 02:14:52

I'd also like to have access to some of the resources you used to obtain this information since I'm doing a school report for this topic.

Esmeralda - 2014-05-20 11:08:29

Best speech ever why everyone should become a vegetarian/vegan! full length

john639 - 2014-05-12 05:14:03

Neat logic "buzzed" aldrin: because I kill one thing, I have the right to kill everything, in whatever way I want. Because some other creature kills things, that means I get to kill everything I want to kill. And of course false equivalencies such as equating monocultural plantations that logging/paper creates with actual forests and false claims (of "honest" research). Add to this gratuitous insults ("crybaby") and snotty tone and it's no wonder anti-environmentalists' arguments are so unconvincing.

Carlotta W - 2014-05-09 17:57:43

The bulk of the posts in this thread only reveals how neurotically cynical and unintelligent vegans, as a group, truly are (along with their emotionally-reflexive scientifically-clueless environmental activist friends). These posts represent the intellectual level of the typical "English major" and related humanities-oriented dolts who lack even the most basal faculties of logic and causal reason, hence their incompetence and rationalistic dishonesty in the real world. The inability to set aside emotion-driven convictions shunts the logical pathways of the mind rendering it incapable of rational thought. If consuming animals or animal byproducts represents "cruelty", then what does your killing of the ants and bugs that you wantonly and apathetically step on every day represent? What about the spiders, mosquitos, and "icky" critters that you intentionally kill? These animals are no less complex self-sustaining biological systems and "creatures of the earth" as the ones that you crybaby over. Some of these little guys (e.g. honeybees) are among the most critical components of certain major ecological systems. Do you ever honestly bother to consider that carnivorous animals "mercilessly" kill their prey, literally tearing them apart while still alive, and that this process is completely natural, the very criteria that you often apply as the basis of your "ethics" applied to humans? If these prey could consciously choose their fate, they would much prefer a quick slaughter for human consumption than dying the "natural way." Here's something constructive (and fun) that you vegans might want to try -- Visit a wildlife-dense area (e.g. Africa ) and observe the lions, gators, tigers, etc. tearing apart and consuming other animals, and then try to comport that with your disdain for humans "mistreating" animals. But why stop there? Upon your return, start a petition to round up, arrest, and jail any animals seen harming others. That's right, why not imprison animals for their "injustices" committed against other animals? And, of course, proponents of animal rights are against hunting.... but try doing some honest research, and then logically grasp why the establishment of private game reserves has been responsible for increasing the population of many animal species, bringing them out of their previously endangered status. Try actually understanding why the acreage of forestlands has increased as a result of the paper and logging industries. It's one thing to choose certain lifestyle practices for whatever benefits that you believe are to be gained, but don't go around using illogical and dishonest emotional arguments to rationalize or guilt-trip others to adopt your position, otherwise your efforts will backfire into your face more than you can imagine. And especially never try to legislate to force others to adopt your practices... and please don't claim that you don't seek to force others -- Animal "rights" laws are a lucid example of what mindless sanctimoniously-driven jerks seek in the name of "saving" the planet.

buzzed aldrin - 2014-05-04 20:57:21

nice articles

replica soccer jerseys - 2014-04-18 02:56:41

I've been vegetarian for a about 2 years, since age 15, and I've been vegan for 6 months. To the people that think it's alright to consume organic or family farm-raised eggs/milk, even if it's your farm-it's still un-natural and not healthy whatsoever. eggs and milk have been linked to several diseases and cancers, especially heart problems. raising them yourself might make you feel less guilty but it doesn't take away from all the yuck you're consuming. and for all the non-veg, dis-believers, that have their minds so brain-washed and stuck in the sand by media and the animal industries advertising- for all the people that told me i'm so unhealthy and to all those that had the nerve to tell me NOT eating other animal's product's meant for THEIR offspring is unnatural, you're wrong, and you'll probably die a premature cancer, disease/ animal product related death anyway.

Tori - 2014-04-14 14:01:21

I don't understand why a report like this would use the US population as 220 million. Even in 2008, it was well over 300 million, putting all of the percentages off by wild margins of error, for instance, 7 million vegetarians is 2 percent, not three. Perhaps one of the negative aspects of Vegetarianism is an inability to do Math.

Andrew - 2014-03-25 14:21:42

Hey! I am a vegetarian, studying in Paris, and i am writing a thesis on being vegan in the USA. Trying to become vegan, i started to look for meat substitutes, but they all have chemical taste in my opinion. I would like to know if you feel the same in the United States. Is it hard to find some products or to skip egg or milk in everyday life? If you're interested, i would be glad if you could fulfill the survey i prepared on this website : Thank you very much! Any help or comment is more than welcomed! :)

Anne-Sophie - 2014-03-22 15:53:35

I am raised as a vegetarian. I don't know why people say that vegetarian diet lacks important nutrients. We'll I will say I am the fittest one and in my whole life I never got sick or anything. I love being vegetarian and now trying to go vegan. I have many homemade vegetarian Indian recipes. Any vegetarian can add me on Facebook.. My name is Shivalika Bhambhani from myrtle beach, USA

Shivalika - 2014-03-02 05:22:25

Hi I live in Texas and is very easy to find vegetarian based meals I normally eat at Panda Express or a side salad from McDonalds or wherever I can find one so yeah think about that.

Corey - 2014-03-01 12:47:50

What states(cities) are good for vegetarians to live in? I imagine that Texas would not be one of them.

John - 2014-02-27 00:24:20

Wondering about the reasoning statistics.... "Environmental concerns were cited by 47 percent ; 39 percent cited “ natural approaches to wellness” ; 31 percent cited food-safety concerns; 54 percent cited animal welfare; 25 percent cited weight loss; and 24 percent weight maintenance." Doing the math, those percentages add up to 220%...... Just wondering how that works?

Jessica - 2014-01-29 18:50:50

I'm 13 and have been a vegatarian for almost 5 years! My one friend has been one for 3, another friend for 4, and another friend who's 15 for about 7 years!!

Laura - 2014-01-25 01:46:55

I think it is a good article

Ariyan - 2014-01-15 11:20:31