Is the Veg*n population in the U.S. still at 1%?

[federico]

Seems like it would be higher nowadays. How do they come up with this figure?

[IamJen]

Where did you see this figure? I most often see 5% veg, 5% of them being vegan.

[danakscully64]

I heard the 1% figure before, but can't remember where I read that... it seems like less than 1% of the population is vegan sadly :(

I read in the local paper that 10% of people in the US consider themselves vegetarians, but about half of them eat chicken and fish... just proves that at least 5% of our population consists of idiots :p

[Zaff]

Maybe one day we'll get to double digits! *crosses fingers* ^^

[Bells]

According to a poll done by VRG in 2006 in this (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDE/is_4_25/ai_n16834301/pg_2) article:

Dietary Habits of Adults 18 and Older
in the United States in 2006

100.0% Total adults
6.7% Never eat meat
6.3% Never eat poultry
14.6% Never eat fish/seafood
7.6% Never eat dairy products
8.8% Never eat eggs
23.4% Never eat honey
2.3% Never eat meat, poultry,
fish/seafood (vegetarian)
1.4% Never eat meat, poultry,
fish/seafood, dairy products/
eggs (vegan, except for possibly
honey)

Percentage of Various Groups
Who Never Eat Meat
(Rounded to Whole Numbers)

7% Total Adults
5% Male
9% Female
9% 45- to 54-year-olds
5% 18- to 24-year-olds
8% North East
6% North Central
6% South
7% West
6% White (excluding Hispanic)
7% Black (excluding Hispanic)
8% Hispanic
4% High School Not Completed
6% High School Graduate
8% College Graduate

[Rincewind]

They should do a poll for those under eighteen. A lot of teens are becoming vegetarians these days.

[danakscully64]

I don't like how "meat" and "poultry" are seperate. I know what they mean, but this is why people think they're vegetarians when they just don't eat beef or pork.

[Animosity]

I don't like how "meat" and "poultry" are seperate. I know what they mean, but this is why people think they're vegetarians when they just don't eat beef or pork.

The problem is, A lot of people would see the "meat" and not the "poultry" and not realize that poultry is considered non-vegetarian. At least this way people are seeing that veggies don't eat any meat. The same said about poultry could be said about seafood. Problem is, People already seperate the two items from other meats.


Wow, 1.4% of "vegans" I wonder how many of them eat honey? We're probably in the less than 1% adult percentile... That's depressing.

[raefactor]

uh, if they just asked "Are you vegetarian on the poll people would have said yes even though they ate chicken. =P I like it that way. As a scientific study, I would be a bit annoyed if they DIDN'T classify it as separate, because that would interfere with the data.

[Matthew]

I don't like how "meat" and "poultry" are seperate. I know what they mean, but this is why people think they're vegetarians when they just don't eat beef or pork.

Or how people think they're vegetarians when they eat other things that come from the exploitation and eventual killing of animals, such as eggs or milk.

I believe the vegan population has increased slightly, maybe even to 1.8% or 2%

Also remember that poll was done on a select number of people. Had it been taken in say, San Francisco or New York City, the numbers would look like "8% vegan, 92% everything else."

Nevertheless, 1.4% of Americans is 4.2Million people, which is something like 3X the American Armed Forces. Add to that the vegetarians and kosher folks, and we have quite a strong army of our own.

Anyway, I won't trust any polls unless they could be done state by state, randomly, with at least 100,000 people per state giving information.

[das_nut]

Nevertheless, 1.4% of Americans is 4.2Million people, which is something like 3X the American Armed Forces. Add to that the vegetarians and kosher folks, and we have quite a strong army of our own.

We're probably more poorly equipped and trained. :(

[LetoTheTyrant]

just proves that at least 5% of our population consists of idiots :p

I think you are being quite generous to the largely idiotic population of this fair country of ours.

Does anyone have and links to this data? I'm sure there are several contradicting studies, and I would like to read both sides.

[LetoTheTyrant]

Originally Posted by danakscully64
I don't like how "meat" and "poultry" are seperate. I know what they mean, but this is why people think they're vegetarians when they just don't eat beef or pork.
Or how people think they're vegetarians when they eat other things that come from the exploitation and eventual killing of animals, such as eggs or milk.


Or how people think they're vegetarians when they eat other things that come from the exploitation and eventual killing of animals, such as eggs or milk.

I have heard people say before that they wish that there would be a more standard definition, and that vegetarian actually mean someone who eats a vegan diet, but doesn't adhere to the rest of the vegan philosophies. I can see this, and mostly agree with this, but agree with someone's counter statement as well. The more people out there telling people they are vegan the more our message gets out there. In my opinion this is a double edged sword, cause I don't someone wearing leather chaps eating bone char sugar giving my choices a bad name!

[Bells]

I think you are being quite generous to the largely idiotic population of this fair country of ours.

We are not the only country with "idiots." Every country has their fair share.


Does anyone have and links to this data? I'm sure there are several contradicting studies, and I would like to read both sides.

It's in my post (see the red "this"?), but I will just link it again for you. :)

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDE/is_4_25/ai_n16834301/pg_2

[Bells]

Here (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-14-veggie-kids_N.htm) is something about younger vegetarians:


There is not a glut of research and statistics on vegetarian children and their diet habits, but a poll by independent market research firm Harris Interactive in 2005 showed that 3% of Americans ages 8 to 18 are vegetarians — meaning they do not eat meat, poultry or fish but may consume eggs and dairy. That figure is up 1% from a previous poll.

[danakscully64]

The problem is, A lot of people would see the "meat" and not the "poultry" and not realize that poultry is considered non-vegetarian. At least this way people are seeing that veggies don't eat any meat. The same said about poultry could be said about seafood. Problem is, People already seperate the two items from other meats.

Yep. I wonder when people started going around claiming to be vegetarian when they were not. If I ever eat a chicken and fish eating "vegetarian," I'm going to ask them "Are you also a sexually active virgin?" :p

[rainforests1]

I've never met a vegan in my life, so, at least where I live, I'd be surprised if it's even 1% unfortunately.

[danakscully64]

Or how people think they're vegetarians when they eat other things that come from the exploitation and eventual killing of animals, such as eggs or milk.

Matthew, the term "vegetarian" strictly describes a person's diet, not whether or not they eat from an animal who is going to be killed or (is being) exploited. Vegetarianism is not about animal rights for everyone.

[danakscully64]

I think you are being quite generous to the largely idiotic population of this fair country of ours.

Hence why I said "at least." :p I meet them on a daily basis, so I KNOW there's more than 5%.

[danakscully64]

I've never met a vegan in my life, so, at least where I live, I'd be surprised if it's even 1% unfortunately.

I've only met 1 true vegan in RL. My friend Michelle claimed to be vegan (did it just because her friend was doing it), but ate the tacos at Jack in the Box with no cheese (she claims they were soy, even though I told her they were). Her Mom kept insisting that the lady at the drive thru window knew better than company did. :sign: Michelle also had "cheats." My Mom thinks of her when she thinks "vegan"... pale and skinny. Did I mention she was a drug user at the time?

[Rock n Roll]

I meet Vegans at the health food stores I go to, but i'm not sure that would count? I was vegetarian (made the switch to veganism and i'm half way through my third day) and every now and then you meet someone who doesn't eat meat.

I was vegan for half a year when I was 16 and everyone thought I was crazy.

[IamJen]

Or how people think they're vegetarians when they eat other things that come from the exploitation and eventual killing of animals, such as eggs or milk.

I believe the vegan population has increased slightly, maybe even to 1.8% or 2%

Also remember that poll was done on a select number of people. Had it been taken in say, San Francisco or New York City, the numbers would look like "8% vegan, 92% everything else."

Nevertheless, 1.4% of Americans is 4.2Million people, which is something like 3X the American Armed Forces. Add to that the vegetarians and kosher folks, and we have quite a strong army of our own.

Anyway, I won't trust any polls unless they could be done state by state, randomly, with at least 100,000 people per state giving information.

But 100,000/State would be skewed as well. 100K North Dakotans = a much larger % of the (state) population than 100K Californians, for instance.

As for the vegetarian/vegan thing..please do not bring this into every thread. :rolleyes:

[Silverleaf]

Hmm, I think there's bound to be more than that.

I'm vegan, under 18 (12 years old), and never took a poll like that.

[Bells]

Nor have I, but of course, just like population counts, not everyone will participate in a poll like this. They might be taken only of, say, 100,000 people and then expanded out from there for the whole country.

[Mrrple]

They should do a poll for those under eighteen. A lot of teens are becoming vegetarians these days.

Yeah, but many of them just do it because it's popular, or lie about it. Many don't stay vegetarian. Stupid people :[