Vegetarian Resource Group Poll On Eating Habits Of Youth

Frequency of consumption of various meat and dairy products, including differences by age, gender, ethnic group, and geographical location.

11% of girls, age 13-17 do not consume meat, compared to 7% of adult females.

Teen girls answered food questions differently from adults because of greater interest in weight and appearance.

A 1993 Trent survey of children in England, ages 11-16 indicated 12% of girls reported that they are vegetarian.

Another UK Gallup Poll in May 1994 published in the Daily Telegraph estimated 11% of 15-19 year olds as self-reported vegetarians.

In the U.S., 5% of male teens do not eat meat, which is similar to the estimate of US adult men.

11% of 8-12 year old boys say they don’t eat meat while 6% of girls in the same age range do not eat meat.

Overall, 7% of youth say they do not eat poultry, with 3% of adults reporting the same.

18% of youths say they do not eat seafood compared to the 4% of adults who refrain from seafood.

Almost 2% of 8-12 year olds do not eat meat, fish or poultry, which is consistent with the 1% of adults indicating the same, although among adults, female vegetarians are prevalent over males.

Slightly more than 1% of teens are vegetarians. One third to one half of teen vegetarians are vegan.

It was found that 4% of teens in the northeast region of the US do not eat meat, while 11% of those in the central US abstained from meat altogether.

The reported margin of error for this poll was +/-4%.