What share of people are vegetarian,vegan or flexitarian?

Lou

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Just a poll, but I was surprised by the numbers. I thought (especially in the UK) the numbers were higher.

 
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I notices this post was unanswered, I'm suprised by that, I am vegan this year going forward. I heard flexitarians are often dismissed unfairly because their not as strict as vegans/vegetarians. From what I read, their helping close butcher shops and decreasing meat demands. It's important to get the message out there that simply eating less meat had a positive impact
 
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I notices this post was unanswered, I'm suprised by that,

Well, it wasn't a question. Just something I thought was interesting. but I'm glad you commented on it. I think it got buried. Or maybe no one else thought it was interesting.
I heard flexitarians are often dismissed unfairly because their not as strict as vegans/vegetarians.
I don't think that is the case but I have no evidence except my own opinions.

Personally I am on board with flexatarians. One of my favorite authors, Michael Pollan, is not only a self professed flexatarian but writes about it. He is sometimes given credit for defining flexatarian. but he claims he only popularized the definition. I like the definition because its a Haiku.

Eat food,
not too much,
mostly plants.

I think if some vegans have an issue with flexatarian is that the flexatarian diet is too vague or broad.
or at least for some flexatarians its taken that way.

The dictionary definition is
a person who has a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish.

So I don't think a person who eats meat every day (or almost every day) is technically a flexatarian.
But I know some people think they are flexatarian if they cut out meat once a week.


From what I read, their helping close butcher shops and decreasing meat demands. It's important to get the message out there that simply eating less meat had a positive impact

Yeah, I'm with you. Not sure how do to the math but if 90% of earthlings reduced their meat consumption by 3% (thats one meal a month), it would decrease the demand for meat more than all of us vegans put together. Of course it would be better if more people would go vegan but all the things like Flexatarian, meatless Mondays, vegan Fridays , ditching dairy helps.
 
I only heard about what a flexitarian was by looking into plant based diets online, most people who identify as flexitarians are following the "blue zone" eating habits, who eat about a 90% or more plant based diet. Blue zones not only live longer, they are less likely to get age related diseases. Most people I know seem far less intimidated by a 80-90% plant based diet than veganism, so I feel it's the best starting point for most people. The impact of society eating less meat now is big, eventually it will make a huge impact
 
I only heard about what a flexitarian was by looking into plant based diets online, most people who identify as flexitarians are following the "blue zone" eating habits,
I haven't heard that. Most of what I know about Flexatarians is from Michal Pollan. I don't think he ever mentioned Blue Zones. I know what the Blue Zones are but I didn't know that there was a sect of Flexatarian that followed that lifestyle.
 
I thought it interesting (there was another survey recently too that was shared on the vegans and farmers forum: How Many Vegans Are There Really in the U.S.?), but it seems the number of people who identify as vegan remains relatively constant. I suspect that is probably as many as will ever naturally adopt veganism as an ethical philosophy or as a lifestyle choice, unless something changes about the world. I am not sure why? It rather surprises me, but veganism simply has never really grabbed the public imagination.
 
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