Health Practices, Attitudes, And Beliefs Of Veg*ns
This survey showed that vegetarians believe in visiting a doctor when they are sick, but are more willing to try alternative or unconventional treatments, or use preventative treatments.
Traditionally harmful substances are used less frequently by vegetarians, and substances that are supposed to be healthful are used more frequently.
Vegetarians believe as a group that they are healthier than non-vegetarians, although examination of self-ratings versus health problems show that this may not be true.
Specifically, both groups rated themselves as generally healthy, although twice as many non-vegetarians as vegetarians had been hospitalized within the past 5 years, due to higher incidents of accidents and illness for non-vegetarians.
Vegans perceive themselves to be the healthiest of all, and pregnancy was the only reason given for hospitalization. Fewer vegetarians reported nervous stomach disorders than non-vegetarians, but they have a higher frequency of bowel movements per day.
Twice as many non-vegetarians as vegetarians noted taking prescription meds and vegans did not report using any at all.
32% of vegetarians abstain from alcohol versus 12% of non-vegetarians.
Half as many vegetarians as non-vegetarians smoke, while no vegans smoke.
More than half of both vegetarians and vegetarians had smoked marijuana.
More vegetarians than non-vegetarians take nutritional supplements, which was correlated to the individual’s self-perceived ratings of his knowledge of nutrition, practicing nutrition and nutritional adequacy of his diet.