What do Brad Pitt, Bob Dylan, Pamela Anderson, Martina Navratilova, David Duchovny and Brigitte Bardot have in common? All are vegetarians. With the exception of India, it is estimated that about 1% of the global population abstains from meat, poultry, and fish, and that about 0.1% are vegans, avoiding all animal products. Yet these figures translate into about 60 million people worldwide, excluding India.
In a 2008 study [Vegetarianism in America, published by Vegetarian Times] it 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.
The Vegetarian Times study showed that 5.2 percent (11.9 million people) of the non-vegetarians surveyed are “definitely interested” in following a vegetarian-based diet at some point in the future. This very much reflects that most people believe a vegetarian diet equates to a healthy diet.
The study 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 vegetarian study also showed that 53 percent of vegetarians eat a vegetarian diet to improve their overall health. Environmental factors were cited by 47 percent, 39 percent cited “natural approaches to wellness”, 54 percent cited animal welfare; 31 percent cited food-safety concerns, 25 percent cited weight loss, and 24 percent weight maintenance.
In Western Europe the number of vegetarians varies between 2% and 4% of the population according to to a 2006 Mintel survey (Mintel.com), with the United Kingdom as the exception. The UK is shown as having the highest per capita vegetarians in Western Europe at 6% of the population. The large number of vegetarians in the UK is accounted for to some extent by health scares relating to mad cow disease.
The number of vegetarians in Eastern Europe varies between 0.3%% and 1.9% of the population according Mintel, which is a much lower percentage compared to Western European countries. Regarding the rest of the world, data is incomplete and estimates vary between 0.2% and 4% vegetarians as a percentage of population, excluding India and Israel.
Israel, at 8.5%, has the world’s second largest percent of vegetarians, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health, which equates to a remarkable 595,000 people in such a small country. India holds more vegetarians than the rest of the world combined. A 2006 survey by the Hindu newspaper found that 40 percent of the population, or 399 million people, are vegetarians.
Today it is estimated that more than 400 million Indians are vegetarian, mostly due to class and religious considerations, with the Brahmin class expected to not eat meat, the Hindu religion suggesting vegetarianism and the Jain religion demanding it. The Brahmins make up 55% of Indian vegetarians.
The Jain religion in India regards all forms of life as sacred. With over 7 million members, they prohibit consumption of any kind of flesh, eggs, and honey. Root vegetables (which might harm soil insects when harvested) are also avoided. Fruit and vegetables that have been on the ground, or those that are more than 3 days old (including pickles and preserves) are avoided. Water is boiled before drinking, and other liquids are strained before consumption, usually by use of a cloth.
There are different types of vegetarians, depending on what foods are included or not included in the diet. For example, some vegetarians exclude milk, others exclude eggs but not milk, and so on.
It is interesting to note that when vegetarians are compared with their non-vegetarian peers in the same demographic (same socio-economic-cultural background), scientific research shows that vegetarians are less healthy. This explodes the myth that a vegetarian diet is the healthiest way to eat. In fact, peer-reviewed research shows that vegetarians have a higher incidence of diseases such as obesity, heart disease, stroke, eating disorders, cancer, dementia, infertility and other ailments.