Examines vegetarians’ habits, including reasons for choosing vegetarianism, type of vegetarianism, length of maintaining a vegetarian diet, where they shop for food, and their membership in animal rights or environmental groups.

This article summarizes the results of the 1991 survey found in the March/April 1991 issue of the Vegetarian Journal. 2. 80% of VJ readers are between 20 and 49, but the vegans tend to be slightly older.

One quarter of readers are male, one third of males are vegan.

The majority of VJ readers are white collar workers or professionals, and are better educated than the general population.

16% of those who reported that they are vegetarian eat seafood or chicken at least once a year.

2% of vegetarians stated they would buy meat, 18% stated they would buy fish, half consume honey.

Health is the motivator for vegetarianism for 80% of respondents. Other significant motivators are ethics, the environment and animal rights.

Animal rights was the dominant motivator for vegans.

80% of respondents shop in natural food stores regularly, but still visit the supermarket more frequently.

Almost half of the VJ readers belong to an animal rights organization, with 94% of these people belonging to PETA. About one third belong to an environmental group, over half of which are members of Greenpeace.

10% of readers have joined a health organization and 7% are members of the American Dietetic Association.

Over one quarter of readers are self-reported vegans.

13% of self-reported vegans consume dairy once a year or more and 7% eat eggs once a year or more.