Values And Vegetarianism: An Exploratory Analysis
Earlier shifts in U.S. diets have been associated with changes in price, income, or marketing strategies, in contrast to growing interest to vegetarianism, which is the direct results of vegetarian appeals to personal values.
An earlier 1992 phone survey estimated near 7% of the U.S. population considered themselves to be vegetarian, although 20% noted they consume red meat, a third consume poultry, and a third consume fish occasionally. Another 4% of the population considered themselves to be vegan.
This study revealed 7.2% of respondents to self categorize themselves as vegetarian, but only 2.5% never ate poultry and 1.5% never ate fish or poultry.
There was a tendency for altruistic factors to influence vegetarianism in this sample and traditional values were the strongest predictors of vegetarianism.
Unfavorable perceptions of vegetarians may be more influential in determining dietary choice than other arguments in favor of vegetarianism.
No demographic factors explored in this study were significant to vegetarianism.
Citations:
Thomas Dietz, Ann Stirling Frisch, Linda Kalof, Paul Stern, Gregory Guagnano, George Mason University, University of Wisconsin, State University of New York at Plattsburgh, U.S. National Research Council, 1993 United States (Regional)
