Hello! I am Carolyn Lee and I am a 4th year student majoring in International Business. Born and Raised in Taiwan until 9th grade, I had been surrounded with traditional East Asian cuisine. In my country, we typically eat rice and noodles as our core food rather than bread and potatoes. Because of the subtropical climate in Taiwan, we also have a broad variety of fruits all year round. My family loves fruit and we never had a day where there were no fruits served after meals. I am also a vegetarian since I was 6 years old, that's when my whole family decided to become Buddhists and vegetarians. It has changed my life quite a bit since then!

Interests

I have developed many interests over the years! Some of those are:

• Psychology (Cognitive, Social, and Developmental)

• Marketing and Business Strategies

• Gardening (Herbs, Flowers, Vegetables)

• Beauty & Cosmetics

• Photography

• Picnic!

Trend of Vegetarianism in the Modern World

Carolyn Lee

INTL 190

Professor Fortier

Mar. 22, 2023

Introduction

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” This quote by Virginia Woolf emphasizes the importance of food and diet in our lives. Food not only provides us with the necessary nutrients to survive, but it also nourishes us mentally, emotionally, and socially. However, food security has become an emerging issue in the past decades. According to Our World in Data, one in four people (about 2 billion in total) suffered from moderate or severe food insecurity globally in 2017. (Roser and Ritchie 2019). Defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), moderate food insecurity is related to the inability to access healthy and nutritious diets regularly, while severe food insecurity is associated with the insufficient energy from food, which strongly correlates to undernourishment and hunger. In order to address the issue of food insecurity as well as other issues such as environmental sustainability and animal welfare, vegetarianism has gained increasing popularity in recent years. Vegetarianism is a dietary practice of consuming plant-based food and abstaining from animal flesh. Veganism takes a step further in which it avoids the consumption of eggs, dairy, and other ingredients derived from animals. In this paper, the word “vegetarianism” refers to both veganism and vegetarianism unless otherwise specified. Shifting to a plant-based diet has the potential of lowering greenhouse gas emissions, combating food insecurity, and deforestation. Thus, it is important to examine the different aspects contributing to the growing trend of vegetarianism such as motivations and driving forces behind the trend, social implications, and visible progression in the related market and economy.

Background

Vegetarianism is not a new concept and has been around for thousands of years around the globe. In ancient India, vegetarianism was practiced by followers of the Jain and Hindu religions. Jainism prohibits the killing of any living beings, and Hinduism emphasizes avoidance of harm and violent behaviors towards all living beings, including animals. As a result of the widespread religions, many people practice vegetarian diets in India. In ancient Greece, Pythagora, a famous mathematician and philosopher, believed that animals have souls and should not be killed for food, and that vegetarian diet could be a way to achieve spiritual purity and inner peace. In Egypt, vegetarian ideology was practiced among religious groups around 3,200BCE, with “abstinence from flesh and the wearing of animal derived clothing based upon karmic beliefs in reincarnation.” (The Vegetarian Society, 2019). During the Middle Ages, vegetarianism was associated with religious asceticism and was practiced by some Christian sects, such as the Cathars and the Waldensians. In the 18th century, the English philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, argued for animal rights and opposed animal cruelty. The modern vegetarian movement started in the 19th century as people became more interested in the relationship between diet and health. The formation of the Vegetarian Society formed in England also boosted the vegetarian movement. The Society was founded in 1847, promoting a vegetarian diet for health, ethical, and environmental reasons. Its members included many prominent figures such as George Bernard Shaw, Mahatma Gandhi, and Leo Tolstoy. Due to the food shortage during World War 2, the British were encouraged to self-sustain by growing fruits and vegetables for themselves. This was also known as the “Dig For Victory” campaign. As a result of the near vegetarian diets, the British were able to sustain the population and their health. In 1945, the estimated number of vegetarians in the UK was about 100,000 people. In North America, the establishment of the American Vegetarian Society also helped to spread the vegetarian movement in 1850. Other significant events in the history of vegetarianism include the publication of “The Vegetarian Society's Cookery Book" in 1891, which popularized the dietary option in the UK, and "Diet for a Small Planet" in 1971, arguing that a plant-based diet was more environmentally sustainable than a meat-based diet. In 2016, Beyond Meat launched the Beyond Burger, which was the first plant-based burger to be sold in the meat section of grocery stores. From ancient era to the modern times, vegetarianism has been popularized and spread across many countries in the world. 

Motivations

Ethical

The practice of vegetarianism has been impacted by a variety of different reasons, and there are also various motivations for people to choose this specific dietary option. The four main reasons for following a vegetarian diet include ethical, health, cultural, and environmental reasons. Among the four main concerns, studies have found that ethical and health motivations appeared to be the most common reasons for adopting vegetarian diets in developed Western countries. (Rosenfeld 2018). Ethical reasons mainly include concerns about the treatment of animals in the food industry, animal welfare, and animal rights. Some are also concerned with issues relating to social justice. A 2016 study recorded survey results for people following a vegetarian diet and avoiding meat consumption except rare occasions like birthday parties. They found that 89.4% of the respondents mentioned “motives related to animal welfare, animal agriculture and/or animal rights.” About 10% of respondents mentioned motives related to “world hunger, human rights, and exploitation of humans.” On top of that, over 80% of the respondents agreed that “animals have similar feelings and fears as humans” and that “all animals should be granted the right to a natural death.” 60% of the respondents believed that “in livestock farming, animals are never treated in a humane way.” (Janssen et al. 2016, 646).

Environmental

Besides ethical concerns for animal welfare and human rights, concerns for environmental related issues are also a significant driver in the vegetarianism trend. As the population of the world increases and the problem of overall environmental degradation emerges, more people are starting to emphasize the importance of maintaining planetary health and sustaining natural resources. Among all the economic activities, the food system accounts for a major part of the use of resources, including water and land. It also contributes to about 20-30% of total Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 80% of the world’s deforestation problem, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. (Fresán and Sabaté 2019). Yet, it is still not enough to sustain the existing population of 7.9 billion people around the globe, resulting in food insecurity issues in many parts of the world. To address the systematic problem, shifting to a plant-based diet pattern has been proven to be a significantly crucial step. Animal-derived food, especially meat and dairy, poses a much heavier weight on the environment in comparison to plant-based food. The resources that go into producing 1 kilogram of beef is 8-14 times more than those that are needed for producing 1 kilogram of beans. (Fresán and Sabaté 2019). Energy transfer theory in the ecosystem also supports the idea that consuming meat-based food requires a lot more resources than plant-based food. The theory stated that the energy needs to transfer between different trophic levels in an ecosystem, or food chain, in order to support lives. Only 10% of the energy is passed on to the next level in the trophic chain, known as the “10% rule.” (National Geographics Education). Assume that consuming plant-based food would provide 100% of the energy to humans, eating meat would provide 10% of the energy according to the 10% rule. Being aware of the environmental issues, many people decide to reduce the consumption of meat and even follow a vegetarian diet to cope with global warming. A German study in 2015 found that the greatest influence for adopting a vegan diet was the concern for factory farming, while climate protection being the second greatest influence. (Kerschke-Risch 2015). 

Health

Another significant driver for the vegetarian trend is health related reasons. A study regarding vegan lifestyle in 2013 found that 47% of the vegans indicated a health-related reason for their dietary practice. (Dyett et al. 2013). Among all the vegans in the study population, over 70% of the vegans fall under the normal weight category with standard BMI value. In addition, 99% of the vegan respondents reported that they have never used fast food meals. (Dyett et al. 2013). Plant-based diets are known to contain less fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol compared to diets that include animal products. Additionally, plant-based diets often have lower risks of microbial or parasitic contamination. Plant-based diets also provide higher amounts of fiber, folate, vitamin C, and phytochemicals due to the increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. (Dyett et al. 2013). All of these factors play an essential role in the optimal well-being of human bodies and healthy lifestyles. Another study analyzes US National Health Interview Survey data in 2012. It states that the practice of vegetarianism is strongly influenced by “public perceptions of the health advantages, and a growing number of clinical and epidemiological research studies have shown health benefits associated with vegetarian and vegan diets.” (Cramer et al. 2017, 561). The study also suggests that vegetarian diet might be a part of a generally healthier lifestyle since reasons like non smoking and regular physical activities are also associated with vegetarian diet. (Cramer et al. 2017). 

Cultural & Religious

While not as common as the other motivations in the developed Western nations, cultural and religious factors play an important role in the adoption of vegetarian diet. For example, the practice of vegetarianism is largely related to cultural identity in India. In a BBC article, it stated that the percentage of vegetarians in India reported by their government was overestimated due to cultural and political pressures. “People under-report eating meat - particularly beef - and over-report eating vegetarian food.” (BBC, 2018). This indicates that many people in India associate vegetarianism with social values and attach certain perceptions to it. Vegetarianism means more than a dietary option for them, but rather a cultural identity. On the religious aspect, many widespread religions in India follow some type of restrictions on meat consumption in their diet. (Corichi 2021). The study also finds that almost 40% of Indian adults identified themselves as vegetarians, in which 92% of Jains and 44% of Hindus are vegetarians. (Corichi 2021). Religion is mainly the reason why Indians have the highest percentage of vegetarians in the world. Many Indians view dietary restrictions as an essential part of their religions, even more so than the belief in God or prayers. (Corichi 2021). Overall, motivations of adopting a vegetarian diet and driving forces of the trend may range from ethical, environmental, health, and religious factors across the world. Examining the variety of motivations would allow us to identify the significance of different values associated with vegetarianism and better understand the future direction of the trend. 

Social Implications

The public perception and attitudes toward vegetarianism is an important part of understanding the social implications of the trend. People have different attitudes toward vegetarianism and those adopting the dietary practice across gender, age, and regions. Generally, meat consumption seems to be associated with power, masculinity, and dominance. The development of this connection might have originated from hunting since ancient times. Many studies have pointed out that more females than males identify themselves as vegetarians, and females generally have a more positive attitude towards vegetarianism than males in the same age group. Among the omnivores, females also tend to consume less meat than their male peers. (Beardsworth et. al 2002). In addition, vegetarians are perceived as less masculine and weak by omnivores. (Ruby et al. 2016). When justifying meat consumption, women are more likely to “dissociate meat from its animal origins and avoid thinking about animal slaughter.” On the other hand, men typically “claim that meat is necessary for good health” and that it tastes well, or believe in “human dominance over nature.” (Ruby et al. 2016 547). Many research supported the finding that men tend to enjoy eating red meat, while women tend to avoid eating red meat and may experience a sense of discomfort. (Ruby et al. 2016). A 2016 study examined attitudes toward beef and vegetarians among university students across 4 different countries, Argentina, Brazil, France, and USA. Beef was purposefully chosen because beef is often the first animal product to be removed when moving towards vegetarian diets. Also, beef is the most consumed meat in Argentina, Brazil, France, and the USA. (Ruby et al. 2016). The result of the research shows that 25% of American women and 16% of Brazilian women hold negative attitudes toward beef, and women tend to do so more than men do, except in Brazil. The admiration for vegetarians is highest among women in the U.S. and in Brazil, showing a correlation with the negative attitudes toward beef. Supporting the previous ideas, gender plays a significant role in the perception of vegetarianism and meat consumption. Overall, gender and nationality are both crucial indicators of predicting attitudes toward vegetarians. (Ruby et al. 2016). 

The other important identifying element is age. Young people are more likely to be vegetarians than older ones. According to Our World in Data, 9% of people within the age range from 18 to 24 years old are vegetarians, 7% in the 25 to 49 age group, 3% in the group of 50 to 64 years old, and 3% in the age group above 65. (Our World in Data, 2023). It is clear that the number of percentages decreases from the younger group to the older age groups. This is a strong indicator that the younger generation is more likely to adopt a vegetarian diet, which also predicts a positive impact on the growth of vegetarianism. 

Identity and social experiences of vegetarians are important in studying the social implications of vegetarianism as well. Vegetarians typically consider being a vegetarian a significant part of their identity making. (Romo and Donovan-Kicken 2012). Adopting a vegetarian diet symbolizes a change in the social identity and personal identity. (Rosenfeld 2018). However, adopting a vegetarian diet is different from self-identifying as vegetarians as we discussed above with the case of vegetarianism as a form of cultural means in India. Beyond the identity of one’s self, social relationship with others involves food choice and dietary options on a large scale. Shifting to a vegetarian diet would limit the options of food and cause inconvenience in many social occasions. From my personal experience, I have turned down many friendly invitations just because I did not want to pose the trouble of preparing a vegetarian meal to my friends. Everytime I go out to eat with my friends, I would have to make sure that the restaurant offers some form of vegetarian options. People around me would not always remember the fact that I am a vegetarian, and might start talking about a new Korean BBQ restaurant in town or even inviting me to go with them. Back when I was young, I would not know what to do because I did not want to embarrass my friends in that situation. So, I would go to the restaurant with my friends and eat fried vegetables in the BBQ restaurant. Being a vegetarian for over 10 years, I would say that it really could be challenging and embarrassing at some occasions. Aligned with my experience, many other vegetarians struggle to defend their dietary practice at the beginning. Research has shown that vegetarians often report “backlash from family and friends after revealing their dietary change, anxiety about sharing their dietary preferences with others, constant questioning about their lifestyle, teasing and mocking, stereotyping, everyday acts of discrimination, and even discrimination in applying for jobs.” (Rosenfield 2018, 129) It is not uncommon for vegetarians to receive microaggression about their dietary choice. Several studies found that vegetarians avoid revealing their dietary practice as a result of their negative social experiences. (Rosenfield 2018). 

Biases toward vegetarians also shape the social experiences for vegetarians to a certain extent. For example, a friend of mine named Sabrina, never remembers that I am a vegetarian even though we have known each other for almost 5 years. Everytime she brings up a meat related topic and I remain silent, it would take her a few seconds before she realizes that I don’t eat meat. She would say: “I am so sorry but you really don’t LOOK like a vegetarian.” What does it mean to be more like a vegetarian? Who looks like they are definitely vegetarians? She could not explain either, but it is evident that most people exhibit some perceptions and biases for vegetarians. These biases have negative impacts toward the growth of vegetarianism, which also hinder a great solution for global food insecurity and environmental sustainability. An article promoting insect-eating behavior as a way to increase sustainability suggests that the negative attitudes toward the ideology is harmful, and that educating people with the necessary knowledge would help to eliminate the biases and negative attitudes. (Looy et. al 2013). If people have more knowledge about vegetarianism, such as how to plan and prepare appropriate vegetarian meals that can suffice the nutrients human bodies need, perhaps it could also help to promote the popularity of vegetarianism. While most of the restaurants offer vegetarian options nowadays and many social events also provide ways to meet the needs for different dietary practices, people’s perception and attitudes toward vegetarianism would perhaps take a much longer time to change. 

There are some prospective vegetarians who consider changing to a plant-based diet. They are more concerned about health, environmental, and ethical issues than other omnivores who do not consider shifting to a non-meat diet at all. (Rosenfield 2018). A huge barrier that prevents prospective vegetarians from adopting the change in dietary practice is that the perceived challenges exceed the benefits. Some common barriers include “habit, enjoyment of eating meat, health concerns about eschewing meat, the belief that preparing vegetarian meals would be difficult, lack of knowledge about plant-based dieting, and the belief that plant-based dieting is incongruent with central facets of one's identity.” (Rosenfield 2018, 128). Perceived barriers to shift to a vegetarian diet may be especially powerful for people who are “male, living in rural areas, have low educational attainment, and exhibit emotional attachment to meat.” (Rosenfield 2018, 128). Examining social implications including attitudes, perceptions, biases, and  barriers to adopt dietary change towards a plant-based diet is crucial in the discussion of vegetarianism and future trends. 

Market Trends

Throughout the previous discussion, it is not easy to find that as more people become health conscious and aware of the problems relating to environment and animal welfare, the demand for the plant-based food market as well as vegetarian restaurants increases as well. One way to examine the growing demand is measuring the size and growth of its market. The global vegan food market grew from $14.44 billion in 2020 to $15.77 billion in 2021 and is expected to continue the growth in the next several years. (Kim 2022). According to a report from Bloomberg Intelligence, the plant-based food market is forecasted to take up 7.7% of the global protein market with over $162 billion by 2030. (Bloomberg 2021). BI also expects that the growth in the plant-based food market would be driven by the strain on resources resulting from population growth, especially in the Asia-Pacific area. Thus, it is highly possible that the region would take over dominance in the plant-based food market reaching $64.8 billion by 2030. (Bloomberg 2021). Moreover, major global restaurant chains such as Taco Bell, Chipotle, Jamba Juice, and Starbucks are expected to play a crucial role in driving the sales and consumption of plant-based substitutes. By offering a range of plant-based options such as burgers, sausages, and milk alternatives, these restaurant chains will likely encourage the shift in consumer habits to adopt plant-based diets. (Bloomberg 2021). While the plant-based food options provided by these restaurant chains have the potential of encouraging the shift in consumer dietary habits, the customer demand for plant-based food options also drives the change in the range of options they provide. For instance, McDonalds eliminates beef and pork items on their menus completely in order to satisfy the local demands in India. Moreover, the advertises the plant-based McVeggies to replace their regular burgers. Subway India also continues to deliver new local additions like the Veggie Shammi (lentil based patty), as well as other types of plant-based patty. (Simi and Matusitz 2015). On the other hand, one factor that sets back the growth of the plant-based food market is the relatively high price of these alternatives. (Vegan Food Market Size). Perhaps the price of plant-based food alternatives would drop in the future as technology advances. Although it is extremely challenging for most people to change their dietary practice to a non-meat diet, more people are seeking to reduce their consumption of meat when they can. 

Conclusion

The shift towards a plant-based diet has become increasingly popular in recent years, as individuals seek to address issues such as food insecurity, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare as well as health and religious reasons. Examining various aspects of vegetarianism, including the motivations and driving factors behind the trend, social implications, barriers to adopting a vegetarian diet, and visible growth in the plant-based food market would allow us to better understand the nature of vegetarianism and its future directions. Overall, vegetarianism is not just a dietary practice but also a lifestyle and a social identity that can have far-reaching implications for individuals and society as a whole. As we continue to grapple with issues related to food security, climate change, and animal welfare, understanding the motivations and implications of vegetarianism will be crucial for shaping the future of our food systems.

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