Attitudes towards Vegetarianism and Veganism

Attitudes towards Vegetarianism and Veganism

Literature Review
Grace Spellacy
The Pennsylvania State University

Attitudes towards Vegetarianism and Veganism

Each day, we choose what we eat, but many people rarely stop to think about what they
consume and why. A majority of people in the United States consume meat and dairy products,
while only a small percentage are vegetarians or vegans. It is interesting to consider the
reasoning behind diet choice. There are many different reasons that someone may choose to eat
the way they do. The most notable motives behind diet choice are likely health, the environment,
taste, habits, and ethics (Povey et al, 2001, pg. 16). The goal of this research project is to explore
the reasoning behind diet choice and attitudes towards vegetarian and vegan diets. This paper
reviews multiple scientific texts that consider the health and environmental effects of diet, as
well as opinions and attitudes towards vegetarian and vegan diets.
Before describing attitudes towards different diets, it is necessary to clarify and define
each diet type. It is also necessary to briefly discuss the findings on the health and environmental
effects of different diets, in order to have a deeper understanding of personal diet choice. A
vegetarian diet is defined as a diet that does not include meat or fish, but does include animal
byproducts. A vegan diet is defined as a diet that does not include and meat, fish, or animal
byproducts.
Health is often a significant factor in ones diet choice. Many people believe that meat is
necessary to be healthy, but studies have shown that a balanced vegetarian or vegan diet can also
be healthy. A study of over 100,000 vegetarians it was found that vegetarians have lower BMIs
than meat eaters, and are therefore less likely to be obese (Appleby, 2015, p. 288). As a result of
lower BMIs, vegetarians and vegans also have a lower risk of diabetes (Appleby,2015, p. 288).
Vegetarians also have lower risks of some types of cancer, ischemic heart disease, and other
conditions (Appleby, 2015, pg. 291). Even though vegetarian and vegan diets are just as healthy

Attitudes towards Vegetarianism and Veganism

as non-vegetarian diets, a majority of people are still meat eaters, which means there are other
reasons than health behind what people eat.
Another factor that may influence ones diet choice is the impact on the world around us.
Vegetarian and vegan diets have a lower impact on the environment. Diet and the environment:
does what you eat matter? by Marlow et al, describes the environmental impact of different
diets based on agricultural resource use. It was concluded that non-vegetarian foods require
more water, energy, fertilizer and pesticides than vegetarian diets do (Marlow et al, 2009, pg.
1699S). The results also supported that the production of beef used the most resources out of
any other food item (Marlow et al, 2009, 1699S). The environmental impact of different diets
may not be common knowledge among a lot of people. This research project can hopefully
measure the publics knowledge of the health and environmental impacts of diet, and how they
affect diet choice.
The remaining major influences on diet choice are the habits of individuals, their ethical
views, and the taste of food items. These factors are more personal and do not have supporting
scientific backgrounds to discuss. This research project will hopefully further clarify why people
eat the diet they do, and which factors have the biggest influence on their diet. The remainder of
the paper will review articles that summarize the views the attitudes of others towards vegetarian
and vegan diets.

Attitudes towards Vegetarianism and Veganism

References List
Appleby, P.N., Key, T.J. (2015). The long-term health of vegetarians and vegans. Proceedings of
the Nutrition Society, 75, 287-293.
Marlow,H.J., Hayes, W.K., Soret, S., Carter, R.L., Schwab, E.R., Sabate, J. (2009). Diet and the
environment: does what you eat matter? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89, 1699S
1703S.
Povey, R., Wellens, B., Connor, M. (2001). Attitudes towards following meat, vegetarian and
vegan diets: an examination of the role of ambivalence. Appetite, 37, 15-26.
Pribis,P., Penack, R.C., Grajales, T. (2010). Beliefs and Attitudes toward Vegetarian Lifestyle
across Generations. Nutrients, 2(5), 523-531.
Ruby, M., Alvarenga, M., Rozin, P., Kirby, T., Richer, E., Rutsztein, G. (2016). Attitudes toward
beef and vegetarians in Argentina, Brazil, France, and the USA. Appetite, 96, 546-554.
Vanhonacker, F., Van Loo, E.J., Gellynck, X., Verbeke, W. (2013). Flemish consumer attitudes
towards more sustainable food choices. Appetite, 62, 7-16.