Author
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DWYER, JOHANNA - FRANCES STERN NUTR CTR |
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Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2002 Publication Date: 2/1/2003 Citation: DWYER, J. VEGETARIAN DIETS. IN: CABALLERO B, ED. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FOOD SCIENCES AND NUTRITION, 2ND ED. AMSTERDAMN: ACADEMIC PRESS, 2003:5974-5979. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Individuals mean different things when they refer to themselves as vegetarians. Those who provide dietary counseling must probe further to determine what foods are actually avoided and also the degree of adherence to the dietary pattern so that dietary recommendations will be appropriate. The prevalence of vegetarian eating patterns varies, depending on the definition employed. Currently approximately 7% of Americans consider themselves to be vegetarian, but fewer than 1% are lactoovo vegetarians who abstain from all meat, fish and poultry products, and even a smaller percentage ' perhaps 0.1% - are vegans, who eat no animal foods at all. Many of those who define themselves as vegetarians are probably actually semi vegetarians who limit their consumption of some or most animal products in favor of a plant-based diet, although they have not adopted a dietary pattern consisting exclusively of plants. The growing popularity of meatless meals and meat alternatives is due in large part to the increased consumption of these products by individuals who are not necessarily vegetarian, but who want to eat a meatless diet. Individuals choose vegetarian diets for many reasons. |
