INDIANAPOLIS, March 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The plant-based food market is expected to continue to boom in the near future with Generation Z being the main driving force. But what does the future look like? According to a recent survey conducted by MIDDS, 70% of Gen Z will continue to pursue a vegan diet within the next five years.

The Results Are In — Gen Z Is Going Vegan

MIDSS polled over 3000 Gen Zers to learn how this generation will shape the future of the food and health industry. Surprisingly, the majority are in favor of a vegan diet. And while they might not all want to be vegan themselves, it's clear that the vegan trend is going to continue to convert meat-eaters to a more plant-based diet. 

Who is Gen Z?

Gen Z is the population born between 1997 and 2012. Right now, they're in their pre-teens up to about 28 years old. They're the digital natives of the world; the first ones born into a fully digital era. They're also the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in U.S. History.

Gen Zers generally consider themselves tech-savvy, socially conscious, and with an entrepreneurial spirit. They're even one of the most proactive generations about their mental health, seeking out therapy more often than anyone else. Unfortunately, according to the American Psychological Association^[1], they're also the most likely generation to report poor mental health.

Why Is Gen-Z Turning Vegan?

We asked Gen-Z what their biggest reasons were for going vegan, and here they are:

Health Concerns Top Priority

About 50% of vegans chose this lifestyle because of its health benefits, and it is completely validated. The growing issue of obesity is reaching children and young adults just as much as the rest of the population. Almost 20%^[2] of children and adolescents are obese in the U.S., with issues like type 2 diabetes, asthma, and joint problems becoming chronic conditions.

The Socially Conscious Effect

This socially-aware generation is taking stock of the growing concerns about the environmental impact of eating meat. Almost 17% chose the diet because of animal cruelty, with another 17% going vegan for the environment.

But even an overall 40% of vegans believe their dietary practices have an overall positive impact on the environment. So while it might not be the primary reason for the majority of vegans, it's still an important benefit. The majority are proud of their efforts to preserve animals, as well.

Shockingly, 48% of non-vegans doubt the positive environmental impact of veganism, while 40% believe it. The reasons why the majority doubt its environmental benefits are unknown, but it could simply be due to a lack of education.

In addition to their personal reasons for veganism, about 60% of vegans say they also educate those around them about the benefits of veganism with the hope that people will follow. This might also be a part of the reason why veganism continues to grow.

What About The Cost?

It's a widely held belief that eating vegan is more expensive than a traditional meat-eating diet — but that's a myth.

While the cost of plant-based meat substitutes can be expensive, it's not a necessary part of the vegan diet. Eating mostly vegetables, legumes, and whole grains is considerably cheaper than a meat-eating diet^[3].

Of course, if you don't mind the added expense, meat substitutes offer more flavor variety. 

The Future of Veganism

Of those already vegan, 70% say they have no plans to quit. Of course, the biggest challenge for vegans is that 37% crave non-vegan foods. As for non-vegans, more than half said meat cravings are their biggest barrier toward veganism.

Fortunately, that's where the meat-substitute market comes into play. It's currently worth over 10 billion USD^[4] and is estimated to reach almost 34 billion by 2027. Clearly, there's a growing interest in eating more plant-based foods, and the market is listening.

Besides wanting more variety, about 51% of vegans said that the biggest barrier to just starting the diet was understanding the health benefits. Fortunately, this means there's great potential to convert more people to eating a plant-based diet with improved education on health and nutrition.

Will Veganism Take Over?

Nearly 80% of non-vegans said they will not go vegan within the next five years. While that may seem like a big number, it doesn't mean that the majority won't be swayed to at least eat less meat.

With more health education and plant-based options available, there's great potential to convince people of the benefits of eating less meat. In our poll, just over 50% didn't even know what the term flexitarian meant, which is a predominantly plant-based diet, but not fully vegan. It's similar to the Mediterranean diet and research shows^[5] it still has many of the benefits of veganism.

Switching to a more plant-based diet, without worrying about ever eating meat again, could be a great way to improve the health of the general population and reduce greenhouse gasses and animal cruelty. 

Final Thoughts

The idea that a plant-based diet is the best choice for both physical and mental health is gaining traction. And while veganism might still seem a bit too extreme for much of the population, Gen Zers clearly prefer it more than any other generation. Their plant-based preferences are also changing the health and food landscape as we know it.

Even if veganism isn't for everyone, its popularity is helping spread the word about the importance of eating more plants. It's also caused the meat-substitute industry to grow into a billion-dollar business while sparking interest among traditional meat eaters to sample new options. One of the top concerns of going or staying vegan was meat cravings, therefore the availability of plant-based meat flavors offers great potential to reduce meat consumption.

In the end, it looks like Gen Z is going to help veganism and plant-based eating spread, helping to improve the health of the planet and its people.

Summary Points

50% of vegans pursue this diet because of its health benefits. The biggest challenge for vegans is that 37% crave non-vegan foods. More than 7 out of 10 vegans expect to continue their diet for the next 5 years. 60% of vegans say they educate those around them about the benefits of veganism with the hope that people will follow. More than 51% of vegans said that the biggest barrier to starting the diet was understanding the health benefits. More than half of non-vegans said meat cravings are their biggest barrier toward veganism. 48% of non-vegans doubt the positive environmental impact of veganism, while 40% believe it. Nearly 80% of non-vegans said they will not go vegan within the next five years. 73% of non-vegans and 52% of vegans don't know what "flexitarian" means.

Why Vegan Research Matters

With the plant-based food market exploding as vegetarian food becomes more nutritious and delicious, understanding two opposing perspectives can help us understand how the future of the food industry can be transformed.

Numerous studies^[6] have shown how the livestock industry has enormous harm to the environment and animals, as well as the countless great health benefits of being a vegetarian^[7]. Therefore, understanding the difficulties of vegetarianism as noted in the report can help the community support each other in making the transition to this healthy diet in order to protect our health and the environment.

Study Methodology

Between February 6th and February 13th, 2023, more than 3,000 people, made up of two distinct groups: Vegan and Non-vegan, were asked to take a survey with their own set of questions to find out the differences between opinions. Both multiple-choice and open-ended questions were used in the survey. The answers to the open-ended questions were standardized later on using qualitative analysis. Any unqualified responses, such as nonsensical answers, were excluded from our results.

About Us

We are Medical Inspiration Daily For Stronger Society (MIDSS). The website is designed as a repository of instruments used to collect data from across the social sciences. The mission of MIDSS is to be one of the world's leading providers of information regarding effective medicines, medical treatments, and active ingredients. The solution is often within reach — all that is missing is information and knowledge. Using the most recent research findings and latest scientific works, we help you make decisions with more security and thus greater personal responsibility. Furthermore, we enable professionals to make more informed decisions, discuss potential consequences, and determine whether or not they can ultimately help you, so you can choose the best option for yourself and the people you care about.

Resources

American Psychological Association (2018). STRESS IN AMERICA: GENERATION Z. [online] Available at: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2018/stress-gen-z.pdf. ‌Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2023). Childhood Obesity Facts. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html [Accessed 27 Mar. 2023]. ‌Springmann, M., Clark, M.A., Rayner, M., Scarborough, P. and Webb, P. (2021). The global and regional costs of healthy and sustainable dietary patterns: a modelling study. The Lancet Planetary Health, [online] 5(11), pp.e797–e807. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00251-5. ‌Statista. (2016). Global: meat substitutes market revenue 2016-2027 | Statista. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/877369/global-meat-substitutes-market-value [Accessed 27 Mar. 2023]. ‌Derbyshire, E.J. (2017). Flexitarian Diets and Health: A Review of the Evidence-Based Literature. Frontiers in Nutrition, [online] 3. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2016.00055. ‌Cheng, M., McCarl, B. and Fei, C. (2022). Climate Change and Livestock Production: A Literature Review. Atmosphere, [online] 13(1), p.140. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13010140. ‌Hargreaves, S.M., Raposo, A., Saraiva, A. and Zandonadi, R.P. (2021). Vegetarian Diet: An Overview through the Perspective of Quality of Life Domains. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 18(8), p.4067. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084067.
Source: Medical Inspiration Daily For Stronger Society (MIDSS)