essay title vegetarianism

85 Vegetarianism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

For a vegetarianism essay, research paper, or speech, check out the titles our team has provided for you below.

📍 Great Research Questions about Vegetarianism

🏆 best vegetarianism essay topics & examples, 📌 interesting topics for essays on vegetarianism, 👍 good vegetarian essay topics.

• What are the key types of vegetarians?
• How do you get animal proteins as a vegetarian?
• Why do some people hate vegetarians?
• What are the ecological benefits of vegetarianism?
• Is a vegan diet affordable for the middle class?
• What are the health benefits of eating meat?
• Are there any unsolvable issues regarding a vegan diet?
• What is the best vegetarian food?
• How do you deal with the risk factors of a vegetarian diet?
• What are some myths about veganism?
• Vegetarian vs. Meat-Eating While meat is a rich source of essential minerals and vitamins, it also results in many adverse effects to the human body.
• Vegetarianism Health Benefits It is going to be argued that; Being a vegetarian is good for health since it leads to the prevention of obesity and overweight, developing strong bones, prevention of heart disease, having cancer protection, having […]
• Why You Should Not Be a Vegetarian To conclude the above, it is important to note that vegetarianism refers to a form of food culture in which the individual eschews animal products.
• Vegan vs. Vegetarian Diets: Impacts on Health However, vegetarians have the option of consuming animal products like eggs and milk, but this option is not available to vegans; vegetarians tend to avoid the intake of all the animal proteins.
• Vegetarianism Relation with Health and Religion These are the vegans, the lacto vegetarians, and the Lacto-ovo vegetarians. Apart from the explained contributions to health, vegetarian diets are also instrumental in checking blood pressure, aiding digestion, removal of body toxins and betterment […]
• Benefits of Vegetarianism Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and in spite of enormous research efforts and many treatment options, there is still no guaranteed cure for the disease.anou and Svenson assert that in […]
• Vegetarianism and Its Causes The first cause to discuss is connected with economic reasons or the inability to include meat in everyday diet. Many vegetarians share the opinion that a meat-based diet is a sign of inhumanity.
• Target Market for the “Be Fine Vegan Skin Care” To be competitive in the market and realize profits from the sale of the product “Be Fine Vegan Skin Care” in a competitive market, marketing executives analyze and design a market plan that is strategically […]
• Moral Status of Animals: Vegetarianism and Veganism The significance of acknowledging the concept of sentience in this context is the fact that vegetarians and vegans accept the idea that animals are like humans when they feel something.
• Consumer Behavior Theory: Vegetarianism If this philosophy is extrapolated to the vegetarianism trend analysis, the theory of reasoned action suggests that the rise in the number of vegetarians stems from people’s tendency to associate vegetarianism with good health.
• Worldwide Vegan Dairies: Digital Marketing Of particular importance is the promotion of vegan cheese in Australia, where information technology is also developed and the culture of a vegetarian lifestyle is flourishing.
• The Impact of Vegan and Vegetarian Diets on Diabetes Vegetarian diets are popular for a variety of reasons; according to the National Health Interview Survey in the United States, about 2% of the population reported following a vegetarian dietary pattern for health reasons in […]
• Harmfulness of Vegetarianism: The False Health Claim According to the article “How vegetarianism is bad for you and the environment”, “Plant-based sources tend to be low in saturated fat, a component of the brain and a macronutrient vital for human health”..
• Health 2 Go: Vegan Waffles for Everyone All fruits and berries are purchased daily from local suppliers and stored in a contaminant-free unit of the Health 2 Go.
• City’s Finest as a Vegan Ethical Shoe Brand The brand is focused on authenticity and transparency, producing the shoes locally and sourcing recycled and reclaimed materials that combine the principles of veganism and sustainability.
• Vegetarian Consumer Behaviour Raphaely states that the advances in agriculture created a threat to the environment, and it is important to study this situation in an in-depth manner.
• Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian Healthier Diet The first and foremost is that a vegetarian diet is one of the best weapons that can be used against overweight and obesity.
• Vegetarian Women and Prevention of Iron Depletion and Anemia Most of the body’s iron exists in hemoglobin, a quarter of the rest exists as metabolized iron-ferritin in the liver and the rest is found in the muscle tissue and selected enzymes.
• Soul Food: The Origin and Reasons of Vegetarianism This paper explores the origin, the performance of this practice, the solutions this practice offers to the challenges the Indian culture faces, and how vegetarianism reflects the values of the people.
• Ecological Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet The final level of the food sequence is carried out by organisms that help in the decomposition of the primary; secondary; and tertiary organisms back to the food flow by acting as nutrients and manure […]
• Vegetarian or Meat Eaters Contrary to the belief that meat is a great source of proteins, the quality of the protein in meat products is considered to be very poor since there is lack of proper combination of amino […]
• The Vegetarian Burger – A Product Review The burger also comes with significant nutrient components of Sodium and potassium.The total carbohydrate of the burger amounts to 6g which is 2% of the whole production unit.
• Vegetarian Diet and Proper Amount of Vitamins Issue This difference was accounted for by 14% lower zinc levels in the vegetarian diet and 21% less efficient absorption of zinc while eating it.
• Vegan Hot Dogs: Product Marketing The market for vegan hot dogs is a constantly growing market because the younger layer of the population is becoming more adherent to non-meat or vegan food sources.
• The Vegan Dog Kit Company’s Business Plan According to statistics, the number of vegetarianism in the United States is on the rise: as of 2018, five percent of the population adheres to a meatless diet, with half of them practicing veganism. Evidently, […]
• Pro-Vegetarianism to Save the Earth While most people agree that population growth is closely connected to the emission of greenhouse gases, which are harmful to the environment, as they lead to global warming, a rare individual believes that he or […]
• Can Vegetarian Diets Be Healthy? The analysis of the effectiveness of such a nutritional principle for the body can confirm, or, on the contrary, refute the theory about the advantages of vegetarianism and its beneficial effect on body functions.
• Vegetarianism Among Chinese Customers This paper explores the reasons for the rise of vegetarianism among the Chinese. A cross-section of Chinese consumers is also motivated to abstain from meat products because of concerns about the infringement of animal rights.
• “Quit Meat” Vegetarian Diet: Pros and Cons Although many dieticians think that meat is an essential nutrient, the reality is that it is inappropriate to eat animals because it is unhealthy and unethical.
• Vegan Parents’ Influence on Their Children’s Diet The first reason why a vegan diet should not be imposed on children is that every parent should pay close attention to the needs of their toddlers.
• Vegetarian Diet: Pros and Cons On the contrary, the study A Comparison of Some of the Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Vegetarian and Omnivorous Turkish Females by Karabudak, Kiziltan, and Cigerim portrayed that vegetarians had higher risks of hyperhomocysteinaemia and lower […]
• Positive Reasons and Outcomes of Becoming Vegan Being vegan signifies a philosophy and manner of living that aims at excluding, as much as achievable, any kind of exploitation of, and cruelty against, animals for meat, clothing and other uses while promoting and […]
• Herb’aVors Vegan Drive-Thru Product Business Model As a result, the wide public will be able to receive the brand-new service with the excellent health promotion characteristics and traditional cultural implications of fast-food. The breakthrough of the offered concept is the vegan-based […]
• Vegetarian Groups by Motivation To understand the reasons underpinning the popularity of this movement, it is important to distinguish the triggers that make people turn into vegetarians.
• Vegetarianism and Health The doctors claim that vegetarian diets pose a threat to the health of women since they inflict menstrual disruption as well as infertility.
• Vegetarian Diet as a Health-Conscious Lifestyle Making a transition from omnivore to vegetarian lifestyle, besides the impact on the person’s health, people consider the public opinion and the community’s reaction on their decision.
• Vegetarian or carnivorous diet However, a diet rich in meat and animal products has been found to have severe detrimental effects to people’s health. A well balanced diet that incorporates both meat and vegetables is essential.
• Today’s Society Should Move toward Adopting Vegetarian Diet: Arguments For While it is hard for many people to reduce the necessity of eat meat-based products and to increase the use of vegetables and other vegetarian products, however, there is a necessity “to reconsider the increasing […]
• Vegetarianism Is Good For Many Reasons For Health, Ethics, And Religious
• Understanding What Vegetarianism Is and Its Dietary Limitations
• A History of Vegetarianism: Moral and Philosophy
• Vegetarianism and the Other Weight Problem
• The Environmental Necessity of Vegetarianism
• The Misusage Of The Vegetarianism In Teenage Females With Eating Disorders
• Determinants of Vegetarianism and Meat Consumption Frequency in Ireland
• The Dietary Concept of Vegetarianism and the Nutritional Intake
• Vegetarianism Is The Human Conception For Man ‘s Own Advantage
• Why Vegetarianism Is Good For You And The Planet
• Vegetarianism: The Key to a Health-Conscious, Ecological America
• The Significance of Cow Protection and Vegetarianism in Hinduism
• Relative Moral Superiority And Proselytizing Vegetarianism
• Determinants of Vegetarianism and Partial Vegetarianism in the United Kingdom
• An Analysis of the Three Important Aspects of Vegetarianism
• Negative Stereotypes of Vegetarianism
• Vegetarianism Versus Eating Meat
• The Effects Of Vegetarianism On Health And Environment
• A Description of Vegetarianism as a Way of Life For Many People For Centuries
• History And Philosophy Of Vegetarianism
• Vegetarianism – To Meat Or Not To Meat
• Arguments in Favor and Against Vegetarianism
• American Vegetarianism How It Became a Subculture
• The Benefits of Vegetarianism and Its Main Features
• The Health and Economic Benefits of Vegetarianism
• The Main Benefits of Vegetarianism and Its Importance
• Some Economic Benefits and Costs of Vegetarianism
• Why Vegetarianism Is Good For Many Reasons For Life
• The Hidden Politics of Vegetarianism Caste and the Hindu Canteen
• An Analysis of Vegetarianism as the Best Way To Save Animals Lives and Help the Environment
• Vegetarianism: Fighting the Addiction to Meat
• The Earliest Record of Vegetarianism in Ancient History
• Vegetarianism Is The Modern Diet Plan
• An Analysis of the Moral and Religious Reasons of Vegetarianism and Its Health Benefits
• Benefits Of Veganism And Vegetarianism
• Animal Rights Is A Cause For Vegetarianism
• Vegetarianism vs Veganism
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Vegetarianism Essay

This is a model  vegetarianism essay .

As I always stress, you should  read the question very carefully  before you answer it to make sure you are writing about the right thing.

Take a look at the question:

Every one of us should become a vegetarian because eating meat can cause serious health problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Staying on topic

If you rush to start writing and don't analyse the question and brainstorm some ideas you may include the wrong information.

There are religious or moral arguments for not eating meat, but if you discuss those you will be going off topic .

This question is specifically about the health problems connected to eating meat.

So you must discuss in your answer what some of these problems are and if you think there are real health risks or not.

Knowing about the topic

And don't get worried that you do not know much about diet and health.

As part of your IELTS study it will help if you know the basics of most topics such as some health vocabulary in this case, but you are not expected to be an expert on nutrition.

Remember, you are being judged on your English ability and your ability to construct an argument in a coherent way, not to be an expert in the subject matter. So relax and work with

Organisation

In this vegetarianism essay, the candidate disagrees with the statement, and is thus arguing that everyone does not need to be a vegetarian.

The essay has been organised in the following way:

Body 1: Health issues connected with eating meat (i.e. arguments in support of being a vegetarian Body 2: Advantages of eating meat

Now take a look at the model answer.

Model Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Vegetarianism Essay - Sample Answer

Vegetarianism is becoming more and more popular for many people, particularly because of the harm that some people believe meat can cause to the body. However, I strongly believe that it is not necessary for everybody to be a vegetarian.

Vegetarians believe that meat is unhealthy because of the diseases it has been connected with. There has been much research to suggest that red meat is particularly bad, for example, and that consumption should be limited to eating it just a few times a week to avoid such things as cancer. Meats can also be high in saturated fats so they have been linked to health problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

However, there are strong arguments for eating meat. The first reason is that as humans we are designed to eat meat, which suggests it is not unhealthy, and we have been eating meat for thousands of years. For example, cavemen made hunting implements so that they could kill animals and eat their meat. Secondly, meat is a rich source of protein which helps to build muscles and bones. Vegetarians often have to take supplements to get all the essential vitamins and minerals. Finally, it may be the case that too much meat is harmful, but we can easily limit the amount we have without having to cut it out of our diet completely.

To sum up, I do not agree that everyone should turn to a vegetarian diet. Although the overconsumption of meat could possibly be unhealthy, a balanced diet of meat and vegetables should result in a healthy body.

(264 words)

You should begin by intoducing the topi c. The introduction in this vegetarianism essay begins by mentioning vegetarians and the possible harm of eating meat .

It then goes on to the thesis statement , which makes it clear what the candidate's opinion is.

The first body paragraph has a topic sentence which makes it clear that the paragraph is going to address the possible health issues of eating meat.

Some reasons and examples are then given to support this.

The second body paragraph then has a topic sentence which makes it clear that the main idea is now about the arguments for eating meat .

The conclusion in this vegetarianism essay then repeats the opinion and gives the candidates final thoughts.

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Essay Samples on Vegetarianism

Vegetarian vs. meat eater: a comparative analysis.

The choice between a vegetarian and a meat-based diet has sparked numerous discussions about health, ethics, and environmental impact. This essay aims to provide a comprehensive comparison and contrast between these two dietary choices. By examining their health implications, ethical considerations, and environmental effects, this...

• Vegetarianism

Is It Ethical to Eat Meat: Navigating the Moral Dilemma

Is it ethical to eat meat? The ethicality of consuming meat is a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years. As concerns about animal welfare, environmental impact, and health considerations grow, individuals are grappling with the question of whether eating meat aligns with...

• Ethical Dilemma

A Lot of Conflicting Ideas About the Vegetarian Diet

Humans create inventions to solve a certain issue. where if an issue occurs then a person would start to think of solution to this issue and therefore this person called an inventor. An invention is something that would have influence in the living style to...

• Eating Habits

Moral Vegetarianism: Responsibility Or Necessity

Recent trends in modern eating habits have brought upon a wave of new discussions and one of them being the never seemingly ending debate of vegetarianism. The trend rose to convert our standard diets and health recommendations that mankind has known and followed for centuries...

• Responsibility

Vegetarianism: Meat Eating Versus Nutrition

Vegetarianism may seem like a popular diet fad, but it has been advocated by many cultures around the world. Restaurants advertising “vegetarian options” on their menu is becoming customary. Vegetarianism is a dietary choice, to abstain from meat, that people adopt for many reasons. There...

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Problem Solving Ability And Adjustment In Relation To Vegetarian And Non Vegetarian

Introduction Adolescence is considered as a nutritionally critical period of life for several reasons. Firstly, manifold increase in physical growth and development put greater pressure on the need for nutrients. Secondly, adolescence can be the second opportunity to catch up with growth, if nutrient intake...

Vegetarianism And Practice Of Not Eating Meat

Why would anyone consider becoming a vegetarian? Is a vegetarian diet healthier, or are there too many risks? The article, “Vegetarian Diets: Health Benefits and Associated Risks” by Navneet Kumar Kaushik, Anup Aggarwal, Mohita Singh, Shelja Deswal, and Priyanka Kaushik discusses the popularity in recent...

Non Vegetarian Diet Vs Vegetarian Diet: The Question About Nutrition

Diet plays a major role in determining the person’s overall health and body functioning. The type of the food intake by a person have a direct effect on the person’s metabolism rate, hormonal system and sometimes the physiology. The overall diet is broadly divided into...

Nutritional Benefits of Vegetarian and Plant-Based Diet

Abstract: There is no doubt that nutritionists all around the world have been doing a research whether vegetarian and plant-based diets are healthy or not which can reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other cancers that can increase longevity. Vegetarian diets contains...

The Need of Converting American Citizens to Vegetarianism

The meat industry has created major issues for the population of the United States and the world altogether. Vegetarians live a much longer, enjoyable life as their antioxidant filled diets keep them mentally and physically healthy. Those that choose to consume animals are automatically put...

• American Food and Nutrition

The Benefits of Vegetarianism and Detrimental Effects of Meat Consumption

Since the dawning of life, food has always been a necessity for survival. From simple, unicellular bacteria to complex, multicellular human beings, a source of energy must be consumed in order to give rise to a living organism. However, the nutritional value of the food...

• Healthy Food

The Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet For Health

Dr. Charles Ross presented the misconceptions involved in regularly consuming milk and dairy products, as well as their negative effects on our health. He included an article by Dr. Neal Barnard that highlights the top five myths surrounding milk and dairy products to argue that;...

• Healthy Lifestyle

The Hidden Politics Of Vegetarianism Caste And The Hindu Canteen

Food practices varies in Indian culture with its diverse traditions. Hindus are considered as vegetarians, as a common assumption though the fact remains some of them including Brahmins, eat meat. The Vedic texts strongly recommend non-violence against all life forms while it doesn’t explicitly prohibit...

Best topics on Vegetarianism

1. Vegetarian vs. Meat Eater: A Comparative Analysis

2. Is It Ethical to Eat Meat: Navigating the Moral Dilemma

3. A Lot of Conflicting Ideas About the Vegetarian Diet

4. Moral Vegetarianism: Responsibility Or Necessity

5. Vegetarianism: Meat Eating Versus Nutrition

6. Problem Solving Ability And Adjustment In Relation To Vegetarian And Non Vegetarian

7. Vegetarianism And Practice Of Not Eating Meat

8. Non Vegetarian Diet Vs Vegetarian Diet: The Question About Nutrition

9. Nutritional Benefits of Vegetarian and Plant-Based Diet

10. The Need of Converting American Citizens to Vegetarianism

11. The Benefits of Vegetarianism and Detrimental Effects of Meat Consumption

12. The Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet For Health

13. The Hidden Politics Of Vegetarianism Caste And The Hindu Canteen

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Life of a vegetarian college student: Health, lifestyle, and environmental perceptions

Melissa d. olfert.

a Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA;

Makenzie L. Barr

Anne e. mathews.

b Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA;

Tanya M. Horacek

c Falk College, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA;

Kristin Riggsbee

d College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Wenjun Zhou

Sarah e. colby.

To examine health behavior and environmental perception differences among vegetarian and nonvegetarian students.

Participants:

First-year university students (n=1078) from eight United States universities.

Data were obtained from base 2015 and followup 2016 assessments. Vegetarians and nonvegetarians were compared for anthropometrics, lifestyle behaviors, and campus environmental perceptions (CEPS).

Vegetarians had smaller waist circumference, lower systolic blood pressure, higher fruit and vegetable consumption, lower percentage of energy obtained from fat, and higher perceived stress. Vegetarians expressed a lower rating of perceptions of health policies on campus.

Conclusion:

A clear difference in indicators of physical health does not appear, however, vegetarian students show positive dietary patterns which can promote positive health outcomes. Further, vegetarians had lower perceptions of health policies on campus. Results can be used by administrators to ensure policies are in place to support health of students as currently vegetarian students see limitations in the environmental health policies.

Introduction

The vegetarian diet, commonly defined as a diet that excludes intake of meat (fowl, seafood, etc.) and meat-based products, continues to grow in popularity in the United States. 1 Estimates show that approximately 4% of the American population identifies as vegetarian. 2 Further, certain demographics, such as college students, are more commonly switching to a vegetarian diet with 6% of young adults stating they follow the vegetarian diet. 1 , 3 Factors leading to the choice of following a vegetarian diet are vast and include health benefits, animal and ethical issues, religion, social media and popular trends, and peer/environmental influence. 4 , 5

In regards to health, research has suggested that vegetarian diets have the potential to be anti-obesogenic relative to diets that include some amount of meat or fish. 6 A study of groups with differing dietary patterns found that groups whose diets entirely excluded meat (vegans and vegetarians) had lower body mass index (BMI) (BMI) than groups of pescatarians, semi-vegetarians (restricting meat intake), and nonvegetarians. 7 BMI was also observed to increase simultaneously with greater inclusion of meat and/or fish in the diet. 7 Likewise, several studies have shown that vegetarianism is associated with beneficial effects among cardiovascular health indicators, including lower BMI (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, glucose levels, and incidence of and mortality from ischemic heart disease. 8 , 9 Therefore, following a vegetarian diet may be preventative for chronic disease development.

Further, as may be expected, previous studies have observed that vegetarians on average consume greater quantities of fruits and vegetables daily than nonvegetarians. 8 Specifically for college populations, vegetarian students have been found to be more likely to meet the Healthy People 2010 dietary guidelines in comparison to their nonvegetarian counterparts, which may be preventative of future health problems. 8 However, other research indicates that college aged vegetarians may be at an increased risk for unhealthy eating behaviors such as binge eating and overall lead to the development of disordered eating behaviors. 10 – 13 Further, in some young populations, vegetarians have reported higher levels of anxiety and depression although research is limited. 14 As college students are already susceptible to higher levels of stress, this additional layer of restrictive eating could be problematic. 15 Therefore, the impact of a vegetarian diet on the behaviors and lifestyle of young adults needs further investigation.

Additionally, adherence to a vegetarian diet on a college campus may be difficult due to the environment. Growing data suggest that conditions and features of the campus environment influence diet choices, physical activity levels, and indirectly, the risk of developing obesity and/or related lifestyle diseases. On college campuses, the quality and perception of the dining food are often poor, with students often perceiving little to no healthy options are available. 16 , 17 Though the current body of psychological research makes it clear that perceptions can have a significant impact on individuals’ behavior, one aspect of the relationship between environment and obesity has rarely been explored: whether an individual must actually live in an objectively-assessed obesogenic environment in order to be at risk for the associated negative health outcomes, or whether is it sufficient that he or she perceives the environment to be not conducive to a healthful lifestyle. One of the few studies related to this topic found that positive perceptions of the local environment, including perceived access to dining amenities and recreation facilities, were associated with increased physical activity, higher levels of self-reported health, and lower rates of obesity. 18 This suggests that perceptions of the local environment may have a significant impact on health behavior and outcomes. Another analysis showed that individuals’ perceptions of their food environment may not be an accurate representation of the true, objectively-measured environment, and that factors such as low socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with underestimation of the quality of the local food environment. 19 The addition of “health promoting” amenities to an obesogenic environment may not be sufficient to reverse trends of obesity and poor health outcomes if community members’ perceptions of their environment do not change accordingly. Thus, examination of the relationship between environmental perceptions and health behaviors and choices, including adherence to a vegetarian diet, could lead to valuable insights for future health policy development.

Although campuses are often termed “obesogenic environments,” 9 , 20 with student populations become more diverse and popularity of vegetarian diets continue to rise, many colleges and universities have sought to implement modifications to their campus environments in order to promote more healthful lifestyles and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among their students. Multi-campus evaluation of campus dining options shows 80% of campuses providing vegetarian options. 21 Some institutions have also made efforts to improve students’ health by promoting vegetarian/semi-vegetarian diets through initiatives such as the “Meatless Monday” campaign. 22 Few studies have investigated whether the indications of superior physical health observed in other vegetarian populations are also present in vegetarian college students. Additionally, though some studies have investigated the environmental conditions associated with unhealthful diets and negative health outcomes among college students, few studies have examined the conditions associated with unusually healthful diets. 23 Thus, there were two major aims for this paper: one, to examine the health and lifestyle characteristics of vegetarians in comparison to nonvegetarians, and two, to explore the environmental perceptions associated with adherence to vegetarian and nonvegetarian diets.

Materials and methods

Study design.

Data for this secondary analysis were obtained from the Get Fruved study, a program aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles among young adults. 24 As part of Get Fruved, at-risk freshman students (n = 1155) from eight regionally spread universities in the United States completed a baseline survey that included questions about a variety of demographic, health and lifestyle behaviors and perceptions, and environmental characteristics. Baseline data were collected in 2015 and follow-up in 2016, thus two timepoints of comparison are available. At-risk criteria were defined as having less than optimal fruit and vegetable intake and at least one additional risk factor (first-generation college students, racial/ ethnic minority, low affluence, having overweight/obese parent, or personal overweight Body Mass Index). All subjects gave their informed consent for inclusion before they participated in the study. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The protocol was reviewed and approved from each university’s Internal Review Board: [Content removed for blinded review]. Informed consent was collected from each participant prior to enrollment. The Get Fruved study was retrospectively registered on October 21, 2016 on clinicaltrials.gov [Content removed for blind review].

Survey measures

For this current study, variables related to health, lifestyle behaviors, and campus environment were selected from the overall Get Fruved survey.

Health measures

Physical health variables were collected from the Get Fruved anthropometric data (BMI, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP)) which were measured in person by trained study personnel. Height was measured by stadiometer (Heightonic digital stadiometer; Issaquah, WA) with the participant standing, facing forward without shoes, including height. Weight was taken without shoes and with light clothing via digital scale (Electronic Tanita scale; Arlington Heights, IL). Waist, hip, and neck circumferences were taken while the participant was minimally clothed via Gulick meter (North Coast Medical Gulick tape measure; Gilroy, CA). Waist measurement was taken at the midpoint between the lower margin of the last palpable rib and the top of the iliac crest; hip circumference was taken at the largest area of the hips. Blood pressures were taken in a seated resting position with an automated cuff (Omron HEM 907 XL Intellisense Prof. Digital BP monitor; Kyoto, Japan) that measured twice and averaged the two measurements. All measures were taken twice and averaged. Repeated measures were taken a third time if initial measures had a range larger than 0.2 kilo-grams for weight, 0.2 centimeters for height, and 1.0 centimeters for waist, hip, and neck circumference. All measurements were identical at each intervention site. To ensure data reliability all researchers completed inter-rater reliability to greater than 80% before data collection.

Lifestyle and behavioral measures

All other data used in this analysis were self-reported and collected via Qualtrics survey platform. Several previously validated instruments were included in the survey to assess respondents’ physical and mental health.

Vegetarian variable.

Vegetarian status was assessed using a single multiple-choice survey question that asked students “Do you consider yourself to be a vegetarian?”. Response options were yes, no, don’t know, and choose not to answer.

Stress variable.

Stress scores were calculated using the validated14-Item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). 25 The PSS scores perceived stress on a scale of 0–56 with scores between 0–13 being low stress, 14–26 being moderate stress, and 27–40 representing high stress. Items include questions regarding stress in the past month (i.e., “in the last month, how often have you felt nervous or stressed?”).

Physical activity variable.

Physical activity was measured by the shortened version of the International Physical Activity Quotient (IPAQ) with higher scores indicated more weekly physical activity. 26 , 27 The short-form IPAQ is a validated questionnaire to score physical activity metabolic equivalency tasks in minutes/week (METs). The tool is comprised of six self-reported items of type (light, moderate or vigorous), frequency in days, and duration in minutes of physical activity performed (i.e., “During the last 7 days, on how many days did you do vigorous physical activities like heavy lifting, digging, aerobics, or fast bicycling?”, “How much time did you usually spend doing vigorous physical activities on one of those days?”).

Eating disorder variable.

The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) 28 is a validated measure that was used to determine eating disorder risk scores range from 0 to 78. Questions cover topics such as dieting (i.e., “I think about burning calories when I exercise”), oral control (i.e., “I feel like others would prefer if I ate more”) and food preoccupation (i.e., “I find myself preoccupied with food”). A score of higher than 20 points indicates disordered eating behaviors.

Sleep variable.

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measure sleep quality with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality. 29 The PSQI asks about sleep in the last month, with continuous scoring ranging between 0 and 21 with scores above 5 indicating poor sleep quality.

Dietary intake variable.

Daily fruit/vegetable consumption and percentage of energy obtained from fat were measured by the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener (NCI FV) 30 and Percentage Energy from Fat Screener (NCI Fat), respectively. The validated NCI FV screener tool has students complete 19 self-reported questions on daily fruit and vegetable intake (servings/day). Questions asked about type and amount of fruit and vegetable consumption during the past month (i.e., “Each time you ate lettuce salad, how much did you usually eat?”). Higher NCI scores indicated a larger percentage of intake.

Environmental perception measure

Respondents’ provided perceptions of their campus environment at the follow-up assessment that used the College Environment Perceptions Survey (CEPS), 31 a 28-item survey using a five-point Likert scale for responses. This developed tool examined participants’ perceptions toward seven over-arching themes of their campus: (1) water quality, (2) healthy foods, (3) campus policies, (4) stress, (5) sleep, (6) exercise and sports facilities, and (7) vending machines. 31 CEPS total score was out of 100 points with questions being places into the seven categories. Maximum scores for each subscale are as follows: healthy food = 20 points, water = 12 points, physical activity = 24 points, sleep = 6 points, stress = 6 points, policy = 20 points, vending = 12 points.

Statistical analysis

All statistical analysis was done with JMP Pro 13.0.0 (JMP® , Version Pro 13, SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, Copyright ©2013). Respondents were separated into a binary vegetarian or nonvegetarian variable with those who responded “Yes” to the vegetarian question categorized as vegetarians, while respondents who answered “No” were categorized as nonvegetarians. Respondents who selected “Choose not to answer” or “Don’t Know” were not included in further analyses (n = 15). Additionally, students who began baseline as a vegetarian and switched to nonvegetarian at follow-up, or vice versa, were excluded from analysis (n = 26).

Pearson’s chi-square test was performed to test for differences in the number of males and females, number of students identifying as racial minorities, weight loss intentions, and weight loss attempts in the past year between the vegetarian and nonvegetarian groups. Non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to assess differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in BMI, SBP, DBP, waist circumference, sleep quality, eating disorder risk, physical activity, daily fruit/vegetable consumption, percentage of energy obtained from fat, and perceptions of the campus environment due to lack of normal distribution of continuous variables. Alpha was set at 0.05.

Demographics

From the initial sample, 1078 students were identified as either vegetarian or nonvegetarian at both baseline and follow-up, consistently. This constituted 93.3% of the original sample. Within this group, 61 students were identified as vegetarian and 1028 students as nonvegetarian. The majority of both vegetarians and nonvegetarians were female (85.3% vs. 64.8%; p < .01), eighteen years old (80.3% vs. 87.0%; p = .14). No significant difference was identified in the proportion of vegetarian and nonvegetarian students who identified as members of a racial minority group ( p = 0.50). There was no difference in living arrangements between vegetarians and nonvegetarians, with the majority of students in both groups reporting living in campus residence halls (82.0% vs. 87.1%, p = 0.25).

Health, lifestyle, and environment perceptions

In Table 1 , at baseline compared to nonvegetarians, vegetarian students had significantly lower SBP ( p < .01), smaller hip circumference ( p = .04), higher daily cup serving consumption of fruits and vegetables ( p < .0001), lower percentage of energy obtained from fat ( p = .0032), and higher PSS-14 scores ( p = .0325) at baseline. There were no differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in BMI, waist circumference, DBP, IPAQ, EAT-26, PSQI scores, or weight intentions ( p > .05).

Selected demographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics of vegetarian and nonvegetarian students.

Among follow-up assessments, there were similar findings of significant differences among the two groups with vegetarians having a lower BMI ( p < .01), smaller hip circumference ( p < .05), lower SBP ( p < .01), higher NCI FV ( p < .01), and lower NCI Fat ( p < .05). Changes in findings occurred with. A lack of significance among BMI ( p = .07), waist circumference ( p = .23), hip circumference ( p = .08), DBP ( p = .10), PSS-14 (p = 0.17), IPAQ ( p = .68), and EAT-26 ( p = 0.32).

As shown in Table 2 , no significant differences were found between groups in campus environmental perceptions (CEPS), expect for policy with vegetarians having a lower rating of perception of health policies on campus compared to non-vegetarians ( p = .044).

Perceptions of campus environment among vegetarian and nonvegetarian students at post-intervention.

The prevalence of vegetarianism in our sample was 6.2% of 1115 individuals, which is comparable to the prevalence of vegetarianism reported within an earlier study examining early and middle adolescent vegetarians. 8 A study from Perry et al study suggests that the prevalence of vegetarianism may remain constant throughout adolescence. 8 These adolescent vegetarians were found to be significantly more likely to be female than nonvegetarians, a pattern that has been observed previously. 32 Likewise, these results were recognized in our population.

The current body of evidence regarding mental health and vegetarianism reveals a complex and even contradictory set of relationships. In this study, two variables pertaining to students’ mental health were included: stress levels, as measured by the PSS-14, and disordered eating behaviors, as measured by the EAT-26. Among PSS-14, vegetarians had significantly higher stress than their nonvegetarian counterparts. Many previous studies have observed an association between vegetarianism and poor mental health. Few studies have examined stress levels in this population, but vegetarians have been observed to contemplate and attempt suicide at higher rates than nonvegetarians and have a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and seasonal affective disorder. 8 , 33 – 37 Oppositely, some randomized controlled trials have shown improvements in mood and stress levels in individuals who adopt a vegetarian diet, compared to those maintaining an omnivorous diet. 38 , 39 Features of the vegetarian diet, such as nutrient content and level of consumption of certain fatty acids, have been suggested as contributing factors to the mental health of this population. 35 , 39 It is also possible that certain personality factors predispose individuals to both mental health disorders and vegetarianism.

Regarding EAT-26 scores, there were no significant differences in scores between groups at baseline or follow-up assessment. Klopp et al. observed that college women had a significantly higher proportion of vegetarian women scored above 30 on the EAT, indicating eating disorder risk, in comparison to nonvegetarian women. 40 A study by Bardone-Cone et al found that women with a history of disordered eating were significantly more likely to have ever been or currently be vegetarian compared to women without a history of eating disorders. 41 Adolescent and young adult vegetarians have been found to be more likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder by a physician and to report disordered eating behaviors such as binge eating with loss of control, intentional vomiting, and laxative abuse. 8 , 11 , 42 Similar relationships between vegetarianism and eating disorders have been observed cross-culturally. 34 , 43 – 45 However, in opposition and along with our findings, a few studies have failed to identify any association between vegetarianism and disordered eating. In a previous study of young adults, there was no difference between vegetarians, vegans, semi-vegetarians, and omnivores in EAT-26 scores, but other differences in eating behavior were observed. For instance, vegetarians had lower levels of external eating and were more willing to have and resist cravings than omnivores. 13

A prospective justification for differing results among previous research is the heterogeneity of motivation for vegetarianism. Former studies have shown that individuals may adhere to a vegetarian diet due to various factors such as ethical reasons, personal health, desire to lose weight, environmental explanations, and/or religious beliefs. 46 The association between vegetarianism and disordered eating may only encompass the reasoning for a subset of vegetarians who maintain this diet for health or weight-related reasons. Some evidence suggests that individuals who have or are prone to eating disorders use the vegetarian diet as a mask for generalized diet restriction and disordered behaviors. 45 In this study, as in previous studies on vegetarianism and disordered eating, participants’ motivations for adhering to a vegetarian diet were not explored. It is possible, however, that further examination of our population of vegetarians may find similar reasoning for adhering to this diet.

Albeit previous studies have reported an association between vegetarianism and higher levels of physical activity, vegetarians were found to participate in physical activity at the same rate as nonvegetarians when examining IPAQ scores. 36 In opposition to previously conducted studies, vegetarians were found to have a similar mean BMI as nonvegetarians. As no difference in physical activity levels was observed between vegetarians and nonvegetarians, the potential similarity of BMI could be related. However, it was observed that vegetarians consumed significantly more servings of fruits and/or vegetables per day and obtained a lower percentage of their daily caloric intake from fats than nonvegetarians. Additional cardiovascular benefits could be deduced from these findings with significantly lower SBP observed among vegetarian students in comparison to their nonvegetarian counterparts. Interestingly, this was the case despite the fact that vegetarian students did not appear to differ from nonvegetarians in regard to all measured non-dietary contributors to cardiovascular health, such as sleep quality and physical activity levels. The consumption of lower fat and higher fruit and vegetables may potentially explain the protective cardiovascular effects within the vegetarian group.

In our population, no significant differences were observed between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in any CEPS subscores other than policy with nonvegetarians expressing higher ratings of health policies on campus. These results are not especially surprising for the exercise section, given that no differences in physical activity levels were noted between vegetarian and nonvegetarian respondents. However, it is notable that no difference was observed between the two groups’ mean food scores despite the reported differences in diet content. This suggests that the differences in dietary content are likely not due to differences in perceptions of their food environment. Among policy it may be deduced that vegetarians may expect or pay more attention to health policies on campus and are hyperaware of what they believe should be the amount.

In the present study, respondents were surveyed in the fall and spring of their first year of college, with the vast majority of students reported living in on-campus residence halls or dormitories. Universities often require students who select this type of housing to enroll in a prepaid meal plan, which allows the students to access dining halls and other selected food establishments across campus. As all students enrolled in a meal plan have access to the same variety of dining hall foods, some of the constraints that may influence vegetarianism in other populations, such as the ability to purchase produce and meat alternatives, may not apply in this setting. Both vegetarian and nonvegetarian students would also be expected to have approximately equal access to campus amenities, such as recreation centers, counseling services, and water fountains. This may be an explanation for the homogeneity of environment perceptions among vegetarians and nonvegetarians in this sample.

Although small differences in vegetarian and nonvegetarian health were shown the highlight of vegetarian students showing positive dietary patterns, which can be preventative against negative health outcomes, is ideal and should be of interest to campus administration. The promotion of vegetarian diets on campus can help to align college student diets with that of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 47 Historically, it is known the college students fail to adhere to these guidelines, specifically failing to meet the recommended intake of 5 servings a day of fruit and vegetables. 48 – 50 Therefore, following a vegetarian diet on campus may help students to improve their diet and having campus support for such diets is essential. Further, as students in this study identified a greater need to campus policies to promote health, campus administrators can look to reevaluate health policies to make students more aware and the environment more in line with the health needs of students as currently vegetarian students see limitations in the environmental policies supporting health needs of students.

Limitations and future studies

As this study is not without limitations, we recognize that our vegetarian screening question did not provide a definition of vegetarianism and that students were not asked any additional questions about their vegetarian status beyond the initial screening question. Additional questions should ask the duration of dietary patterns. As such, the current questionnaire tools utilized to capture all data in this population took participants 45–60 minutes to complete, and consequently a registered dietitian 24-hour recall or validated recall tool to ensure vegetarianism was not given to reduce participant burden. Further, the NCI screeners may fail to capture certain vegetarian food items or lack reliability to capture true vegetarianism. Because of this, it is not known whether any semi-vegetarian students, such as those who restricted meat intake or were pescatarians, were included in the vegetarian group. Additionally, the percentages of different vegetarian subgroups (e.g. lacto-vegetarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarians) and vegans present within the vegetarian group are not known. It is possible that this lack of information may have some bearing on the results obtained from these data, as some vegetarian subgroups have previously been found to be significantly different from the general vegetarian population. 7 There may also be differences among vegetarians based on the source of motivation to adhere to a vegetarian diet (e.g. health, religion, ethics). Thus, further studies are warranted to explore health outcomes in various vegetarian subgroups as compared to the general population. Moving forward, it may be valuable to conduct a similar study focusing on students who primarily live off-campus, as such a sample would be expected to have more variation in environmental conditions. Environmental audit data would also be a useful addition to future analyses, as its inclusion would allow for comparison of the objective and perceived environment.

Conclusions

Vegetarian college students who responded to the Get Fruved baseline survey in fall 2015 appear to have heightened indicators of physical health, particularly in risk factors for cardiovascular disease than their nonvegetarian peers. Specifically, vegetarian students show positive dietary patterns that can promote positive health outcomes. Further, while vegetarian and nonvegetarian students had similar campus environmental perceptions, vegetarians highlight the need for policies on campus to promote health. However, the observed health differences are unlikely to be due to differences in perception of environmental conditions between vegetarians and nonvegetarians although more testing is needed.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a research grant from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Grant no. 2014-67001-21851 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, “Get Fruved:” A peer-led, train-the-trainer social marketing intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake and prevent childhood obesity - A2101 , as well as West Virginia University Experimental Station Hatch no. WVA00627 and WVA00641. The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results. We would like to thank the research participants. Further we would like to thank our multistate partners from the Healthy Campus Research Consortium.

This project was supported by AFRI Grant no. 2014-67001-21851 from the USDA NIFA, “Get Fruved:” A peer-led, train-the-trainer social marketing intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake and prevent childhood obesity -A2101 along with support from West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station WVA00689 and WVA00721

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The multi-state umbrella Institutional Review Board (IRB) at University of Tennessee, Knoxville approved all recruitment strategies of the study for University of Tennessee, West Virginia University, and Kansas State University (IRB approval #UTK IRB-14-09366 B-XP). The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and all participants provided written consent to participate by signing an IRB approved informed consent form. Verbal consent was received from each participant.

Availability of data and material

The datasets generated and/or analyzed in the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Trial Registration

This study was retrospectively registered on October 21, 2016 on clinicaltrials.gov , {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT02941497","term_id":"NCT02941497"}} NCT02941497 .

Conflict of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

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Blog > Common App , Essay Advice > How to Write a Great College Essay About Veganism

How to Write a Great College Essay About Veganism

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Kylie Kistner, MA Former Willamette University Admissions

Key Takeaway

People become vegan for a number of reasons. For some, it’s a deeply held personal choice, while for others it’s simply a matter of taste.

If you’re vegan, chances are that it’s a topic that’s important to you. You may even be wondering if veganism is something you should write about for your college essay.

Your college essay should be about something you are most passionate about, and veganism can allow you to talk about a core part of your values.

But veganism is also a fairly common topic that can at times be difficult to extract an original and meaningful message from.

Like any common topic, there are pros and cons to writing a personal statement about veganism. The topic isn’t off the table, but some approaches are more effective than others.

Where College Essays About Veganism Can Go Wrong

To achieve the goals of a personal statement, a college essay about veganism has to be about more than just your veganism.

After all, you are vegan for a reason. Something about the practice resonates with you at a deeper level. That significance is what you should focus on.

Two of the most common approaches to writing a college essay about veganism miss this mark because they rely too much on generalities instead of your deeply-held and identity-based reasons for being vegan.

“Why I became vegan”

The first ineffective approach is the surface-level “why I became vegan” or “how veganism changed my life” framework.

If veganism is something important to your lived experience, then it’s only logical that you’d want to write your college essay about what led you to be vegan or the specific ways being vegan has improved your life.

That is valuable. But too often essays that follow this approach give only common-knowledge reasons for being vegan. In doing so, they fail to address something truly meaningful about the writer.

A 2018 poll found that 3% of American adults identified as vegan, up from 2% in 2012. Your admissions officer is very likely familiar with the most common reasons behind veganism, so sharing this kind of surface-level answer is inadequate.

Unless you truly interrogate how veganism connects to a broader part of who you are, then your essay will leave an admissions committee wanting.

“Why you should be vegan”

The second common trope to avoid is the simple persuasive approach to “why you/everyone should be vegan.”

Maybe you do think everyone should be vegan. Maybe it’s even the belief that has sparked your interest in studying environmental science or food studies.

Because this topic carries a lot of weight, writing about why people should act a certain way takes a lot of time and care that is typically not possible in a personal statement.

A persuasive essay about veganism also says too much about others and not enough about who you are, so it’s best to find another approach.

Overall, college essays about veganism can go wrong when they make an admissions committee say, “That’s great! But now what?”

If you only write about your veganism, you leave the admissions committee with more questions than answers about who you are and why they should admit you.

Before you begin your college essay about veganism, you should consider asking yourself two questions:

How does my veganism relate to a larger part of who I am?

• And what do I want admissions officers to do with that information?

Using these questions as a guiding framework, let’s discuss two ways to go about writing your essay.

Effective ways to approach your college essay about veganism

Background and identity.

One way to make an essay about veganism stand out is by connecting your veganism to another significant part of your background or identity.

Instead of writing generally about why you became vegan, allow veganism to be only part of your more complex story.

Drawing these connections for the admissions committee will give them more genuine insight into who you are and what motivates you.

Consider the “how” and “why” behind your veganism to identify the value or motivation that is most central to you.

Did you go vegan after watching Food, Inc.?

Or maybe you grew up on a farm and your veganism is because of (or in spite of) your upbringing.

Or perhaps you simply have a dairy allergy and don’t like the taste of meat.

In all of these cases, the compelling story is not that you are vegan. Your veganism is compelling because it developed in a context that is specific to you.

Let’s plug the Food, Inc. example into our questions:

I went vegan after watching Food, Inc. > I watched Food, Inc. in health class. > I cried during the documentary because I felt bad for the animals that were being treated poorly. > I love my veganism because I can actively live out my compassion for animals.

And there it is! A compelling, motivating part of your identity: your compassion.

And what do I want admissions officers to do with this information?

I want admissions officers to know that I am deeply compassionate towards animals. > This compassion is a guiding principle for how I move throughout the world.

With these two questions answered, you have a seedling for your essay. If you find that your answers to the questions actually aren’t that compelling, then you might consider a different topic.

Related Interests

The second effective way to approach your essay about veganism is to relate it to a specific academic or co-curricular interest.

Your veganism can then be a vehicle through which you talk about another topic related to your goals and passions.

This approach is effective because it allows you to discuss something you’re personally passionate about (veganism) and connect it to another part of yourself (your interest or accomplishment) that gives the admissions officers more reason to admit you.

Probably the most popular connections are wanting to study environmental science or biology or being a climate or animal rights activist.

Let’s try the questions again:

I’m vegan. > I’ve joined and now lead an online community of vegans. > I’ve developed an academic interest in niche communities and am interested in learning more about them.

I have an extracurricular accomplishment managing an online community of 5,000+ members. > My veganism has led to a budding interest in the psychology and sociology of online groups.

Again, you’ve found the seed. You can use your newfound connections as the foundation of your college essay.

Key Takeaways

Veganism is deeply important to many people. If you’re one of them, it’s okay to write your college essay about it.

While some approaches are better than others, essays about veganism are still fairly common.

So if you choose to write one, make sure that you root your essay in genuine and specific examples that clearly illustrate how your veganism connects to a core part of you.

In the end, your college essay about veganism should showcase another value, belief, or interest that you hold deeply. Once you’ve determined what that looks like for you, check out our other resources for writing a college essay and creating a cohesive application narrative .

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

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15 Amazing Personal Statement Examples (2024 Update)

8 Outstanding UC Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

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Essays About Veganism: Top 5 Examples and 10 Prompts

Veganism is on the rise. See below for our great examples of essays about veganism and helpful writing prompts to get started. 

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from animal-based foods and products. The movement originated from the philosophies against using animals as commodities and for capitalist gains. Now a booming industry, veganism promises better health benefits, a more humane world for animals, and an effective solution to global warming. 

Here is our round-up of essays examples about veganism:

1. A Brief History of Veganism by Claire Suddath

2. animal testing on plant-based ingredients divides vegan community by jill ettinger, 3. as vegan activism grows, politicians aim to protect agri-business, restaurateurs by alexia renard, 4. bezos, gates back fake meat and dairy made from fungus as next big alt-protein by bob woods, 5. going vegan: can switching to a plant-based diet really save the planet by sarah marsh, 1. health pros and cons of veganism, 2. veganism vs. vegetarianism, 3. the vegan society, 4. making a vegan diet plan, 5. profitability of vegan restaurants, 6. public personalities who are vegan, 7. the rise of different vegan products, 8. is vegan better for athletes, 9. vegans in your community, 10. most popular vegan activists.

“Veganism is an extreme form of vegetarianism, and though the term was coined in 1944, the concept of flesh-avoidance can be traced back to ancient Indian and eastern Mediterranean societies.”

Suddath maps out the historical roots of veganism and the global routes of its influences. She also laid down its evolution in various countries where vegan food choices became more flexible in considering animal-derived products critical to health. 

“Along with eschewing animal products at mealtime, vegans don’t support other practices that harm animals, including animal testing. But it’s a process rampant in both the food and drug industries.”

Ettinger follows the case of two vegan-founded startups that ironically conducts animal testing to evaluate the safety of their vegan ingredients for human consumption. The essay brings to light the conflicts between the need to launch more vegan products and ensuring the safety of consumers through FDA-required animal tests. 

“Indeed, at a time when the supply of vegan products is increasing, activists sometimes fear the reduction of veganism to a depoliticized way of life that has been taken over by the food industry.”

The author reflects on a series of recent vegan and animal rights activist movements and implies disappointment over the government’s response to protect public safety rather than support the protests’ cause. The essay differentiates the many ways one promotes and fights for veganism and animal rights but emphasizes the effectiveness of collective action in shaping better societies. 

“Beyond fungus, Nature’s Fynd also is representative of the food sustainability movement, whose mission is to reduce the carbon footprint of global food systems, which generate 34% of greenhouse emissions linked to climate change.”

The essay features a company that produces alternative meat products and has the backing of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Al Gore. The essay divulges the company’s investments and plans to expand in the vegan market while providing a picture of the burgeoning alternative foods sector. 

“Experts say changing the way we eat is necessary for the future of the planet but that government policy is needed alongside this. If politicians are serious about wanting dietary changes, they also need to incentivise it, scientists and writers add.”

The article conveys the insights and recommendations of environmental and agriculture experts on how to turn more individuals into vegans. The experts emphasize the need for a whole-of-society approach in shifting more diets to vegan instead of putting the onus for change on an individual. 

10 Writing Prompts on Essays About Veganism

Here is our round-up of the best prompts to create interesting essays about veganism: 

While veganism has been a top choice for those desiring to lose weight and have a healthier lifestyle, some studies have also shown its detrimental effects on health due to deficiencies in specific vitamins. First, find out what existing research and experts say about this. Then, lay down the advantages and disadvantages of going vegan, explain each, and wrap up your essay with your insights.

Differentiate veganism from vegetarianism. Tackle the foods vegans and vegetarians consume and do not consume and cite the different effects they have on your health and the environment. You may also expand this prompt to discuss the other dietary choices that spawned from veganism. 

The Vegan Society is a UK-based non-profit organization aimed at educating the public on the ways of veganism and promoting this as a way of life to as many people. Expound on its history, key organizational pillars, and recent and future campaigns. You may also broaden this prompt by listing down vegan organizations around the world. Then discuss each one’s objectives and campaigns. 

Write down the healthiest foods you recommend your readers to include in a vegan diet plan. Contrary to myths, vegan foods can be very flavorful depending on how they are cooked and prepared. You may expand this prompt to add recommendations for the most flavorful spices and sauces to take any vegan recipe a notch higher. 

Vegan restaurants were originally a niche market. But with the rise of vegan food products and several multinational firms’ foray into the market, the momentum for vegan restaurants was launched into an upward trajectory—research on how profitable vegan restaurants are against restos offering meat on the menu. You may also recommend innovative business strategies for a starting vegan restaurant to thrive and stay competitive in the market. 

From J.Lo to Bill Gates, there is an increasing number of famous personalities who are riding the vegan trend with good reason. So first, list a few celebrities, influencers, and public figures who are known advocates of veganism. Then, research and write about stories that compelled them to change their dietary preference.

The market for vegan-based non-food products is rising, from makeup to leather bags and clothes. First, create a list of vegan brands that are growing in popularity. Then, research the materials they use and the processes they employ to preserve the vegan principles. This may prompt may also turn into a list of the best gift ideas for vegans.

Many believe that a high-protein diet is a must for athletes. However, several athletes have dispelled the myth that vegan diets lack the protein levels for rigorous training and demanding competition. First, delve deeper into the vegan foods that serve as meat alternatives regarding protein intake. Then, cite other health benefits a vegan diet can offer to athletes. You may also add research on what vegan athletes say about how a vegan diet gives them energy. 

Interview people in your community who are vegan. Write about how they made the decision and how they transitioned to this lifestyle. What were the initial challenges in their journey, and how did they overcome these? Also, ask them for tips they would recommend to those who are struggling to uphold their veganism.

Make a list of the most popular vegan activists. You may narrow your list to personalities in digital media who are speaking loud and proud about their lifestyle choice and trying to inspire others to convert. Narrate the ways they have made and are making an impact in their communities. 

To enhance your essay, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing . 

If you’d like to learn more, check out our guide on how to write an argumentative essay .

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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Moscow, like other international urban areas , is decentralizing, despite considerable barriers. The expansion will lead to even more decentralization, which is likely to lead to less time "stuck in traffic" and more comfortable lifestyles. Let's hope that Russia's urban development policies, along with its plans to restore population growth, will lead to higher household incomes and much improved economic performance.

Wendell Cox is a Visiting Professor, Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers, Paris and the author of “ War on the Dream: How Anti-Sprawl Policy Threatens the Quality of Life ”

Note 1: The 23 ward (ku) area of Tokyo is the geography of the former city of Tokyo, which was abolished in the 1940s. There is considerable confusion about the geography of Tokyo. For example, the 23 ward area is a part of the prefecture of Tokyo, which is also called the Tokyo Metropolis, which has led some analysts to think of it as the Tokyo metropolitan area (labor market area). In fact, the Tokyo metropolitan area, variously defined, includes, at a minimum the prefectures of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama with some municipalities in Gunma, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The metropolitan area contains nearly three times the population of the "Tokyo Metropolis."

Note 2: The expansion area (556 square miles or 1,440 square kilometers) has a current population of 250,000.

Note 3: Includes all residents in suburban districts with at least part of their population in the urban area.

Note 4: Urban area data not yet available.

Photo: St. Basil's Cathedral (all photos by author)

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Road in city area.

The roads and ways of the city areas are very clumsy and many accidents are happening due to the short road. But you need to maintain the driving properly otherwise you may face accident. So now the government decided to expand the road which may put the positive effect on automobile sector. I think it is a helpful service for the society people. If you have a BMW car and you have faced any problem then better to repair it at BMW Repair Spring, TX for the best service.

Transit & transportation

Transit and transportation services are quite impressive in most of the urban cities; therefore people were getting better benefits from suitable transportation service. Urban cities like Moscow, Washington, New York and Tokyo; we have found high margin of transportation system that helps to build a better communication network in these cities. I hope through the help of modern transportation system we are able to bring revolutionary change in automobile industries; in this above article we have also found the same concepts to develop transportation system. Mercedes repair in Torrance

Moscow is bursting Noblesse

Moscow is bursting Noblesse at the seams. The core city covers more than 420 square miles (1,090 kilometers), and has a population of approximately 11.5 million people. With 27,300 residents per square mile (10,500 per square kilometer), Moscow is one percent more dense than the bleach anime watch city of New York, though Moscow covers 30 percent more land. The 23 ward area of Tokyo (see Note) is at least a third more dense, though Moscow's land area is at least half again as large as Tokyo. All three core areas rely

Belgravia Villas is a new

Belgravia Villas is a new and upcoming cluster housing located in the Ang Mo Kio area, nested right in the Ang Mo Kio landed area. It is within a short drive to Little India, Orchard and city area. With expected completion in mid 2016, it comprises of 118 units in total with 100 units of terrace and 18 units of Semi-D. belgravia villas

Russians seeing the light while Western elites are bickering?

What an extremely interesting analysis - well done, Wendell.

It is also extremely interesting that the Russian leadership is reasonably pragmatic about urban form, in contrast to the "planners" of the post-rational West.

An acquaintance recently sent me an article from "The New Yorker", re Moscow's traffic problems.

The article "abstract" is HERE (but access to the full article requires subscription)

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/02/100802fa_fact_gessen

One classic quote worth taking from it, is: "People will endure all manner of humiliation to keep driving".

I do find it odd that the "New Yorker" article author says nothing at all about the rail transit system Moscow had, on which everyone was obliged to travel, under Communism. It can't surely have vaporised into thin air?

Moscow is a classic illustration of just how outmoded rails are, and how important "automobility" is, when the auto supplants rails so rapidly than even when everybody did travel on rails up to a certain date, and the road network dates to that era, when nobody was allowed to own a car; an article written just 2 decades later does not even mention the rail transit system, other than to criticise the mayor for "failing to invest in a transit system".......!!!!!!!!

This is also a give-away of "The New Yorker's" inability to shake off the modern PC ideology on rails vs cars.

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Home — Essay Samples — Geography & Travel — Travel and Tourism Industry — The History of Moscow City

The History of Moscow City

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Published: Feb 12, 2019

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The Morning

The rise of sports betting.

Six years ago, sports betting was illegal under federal law. Today, it is everywhere.

By German Lopez

In the coming days, the country’s best men’s and women’s college basketball teams will clash in the N.C.A.A. tournament finals. For fans, these are some of the biggest events of the year — a chance to see the best young athletes in the highest-stakes games. They are also some of the most lucrative events for sports betting apps. Americans will legally wager nearly $3 billion this year during March Madness, the American Gaming Association estimates.

Six years ago, sports betting was illegal under federal law. Today, it is everywhere. N.B.A. and N.H.L. viewers are exposed to three gambling ads a minute, a recent study found . Commercial sports betting revenue has increased 12-fold since 2019, as this chart by my colleague Ashley Wu shows:

Annual U.S. commercial sports betting revenue

$10 billion

What happened? In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban, concluding that it violated states’ rights. Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia now allow gambling on games.

The old laws were strange in many ways. Other countries had allowed betting. The U.S. allowed it for some competitions, like horse racing. And millions of Americans were already betting on sports, regardless of its legality.

But the Supreme Court did not just let Americans place legal wagers. It also empowered a big industry to market sports betting apps and convince more people to gamble, through another set of rulings.

Enabling big business

Americans typically learn about free speech in the context of social and political issues. But starting in the 1970s, the Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment to protect advertisements. Now, if something is legal, it can be advertised, and governments can’t stop companies from marketing it. (There are some limits: Ads can’t be deceptive or misleading, for instance.)

Supporters of this legal paradigm say that advertising lets consumers make informed decisions. “The court has taken the view that the freedom of speech, generally speaking, should let individuals decide for themselves what to believe without the government trying to say that these are bad messages,” Eugene Volokh, a legal scholar at U.C.L.A., told me. In other words: If people want to spend their savings on legal sports wagers, they should be able to find out how to do so.

What about tobacco? It’s true that cigarette companies are not allowed to advertise, even though their products are legal. But this is a special situation. Executives agreed not to market cigarettes as part of an unusual legal settlement with states in 1998. Otherwise, the Supreme Court has upheld tobacco companies’ right to advertise on First Amendment grounds.

The rulings mean that the only reliable way to prevent the mass marketing of a product is to ban it. For lawmakers, “there is this strange incentive to try to get around the First Amendment by not legalizing things or by banning products,” Jennifer Pomeranz, a public health lawyer at New York University, said. She pointed to the federal government’s prohibition of marijuana, even as many states have legalized the drug.

The consequences

The American Gaming Association says that sports betting ads guide people from illegal to legal markets, which raises tax revenue for governments and helps consumers avoid fraud.

But advertising also convinces more people to gamble. Recovering addicts complain that the deluge of ads presents a constant temptation when all they want to do is watch a game. Calls to gambling helplines have increased in states that legalized sports betting.

Legal gambling has also affected the sports themselves. Consider prop betting, in which people try to predict how an athlete will perform in a given game. Fans have threatened players who don’t meet their predictions. And athletes can bet on themselves, then adjust their play in an effort to cash out, as N.B.A. player Jontay Porter has been accused of doing . Such self-dealing could damage the integrity of a competition. For these reasons, Louisiana this week passed a ban on prop betting for college athletes.

Gambling can also bring other kinds of headaches for athletes. Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani is currently mired in a scandal after his former interpreter allegedly stole millions to pay for bets. (That misconduct involves illegal betting markets. The Athletic explained how they work .)

These issues will become more common as sports betting grows. But the gambling industry has a vested interest in getting as many people to participate as possible, regardless of the consequences. And as a result of Supreme Court rulings, lawmakers are limited in what they can do.

For more: Ohtani is performing, despite the gambling scandal. He hit his first home run as a Dodger with a 430-foot shot. See fun images of his fans .

THE LATEST NEWS

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Benny Gantz, a political rival to Netanyahu, called for early elections in September . It’s a sign that the war is straining Israel’s unity government.

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2024 Election

The centrist group No Labels won’t run a third-party presidential ticket this year after it failed to recruit a candidate.

A Robert F. Kennedy Jr. campaign email called the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters “activists” who had been “stripped of their Constitutional liberties.” The campaign later retracted the statement.

National Republicans want to persuade their voters to cast ballots early, in part so they don’t forget on Election Day. Trump’s misinformation about mail voting has complicated the pitch .

Trump Trials

The judges who oversee Trump’s Georgia criminal case and his federal classified documents case rejected his efforts to dismiss them.

New York’s attorney general said the company that helped Trump post a $175 million bond wasn’t qualified to do so . This could complicate a deal that let Trump avoid financial disaster.

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A Times climate reporter traveled across America on a train. She later found that flying would have been better for the environment because many Amtrak trains run on diesel.

Other Big Stories

A shipping channel to the Port of Baltimore will partially reopen by the end of April and full traffic is expected to be restored by late May, officials said. See who could pay for a rebuilt bridge in coming years.

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Student loan debt is keeping some young people from becoming Catholic priests and nuns.

“When I first heard you speak, I thought you were a decent conservative, and then I found out you were pro-life.” David French writes about our broken politics , on both the right and left.

Get over your insecurities about using “literally” figuratively, or “snuck” instead of “sneaked.” Breaking grammar rules is liberating, John McWhorter writes.

Here are columns by David Brooks on his bad relationship with technology and Paul Krugman on billionaires who support Trump .

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Astronomy: Scientists may have discovered a major flaw in their understanding of dark energy. That could be good news for the fate of the universe .

Traveling light: See tips for how to pack your carry-on better.

Recall: Dozens of eye drops and ointments have been pulled from shelves. These are safe .

Scotland: A Willy Wonka event ended in disaster. From its ashes rose a budding star .

36 Hours: Fly kites on the lawn of a fortress and explore mural-lined streets in San Juan, P.R.

Celestial event: Animals could act strangely during the solar eclipse.

Lives Lived: Gaetano Pesce hated right angles. He became a rebel designer of furniture and art objects, and his most celebrated work was an armchair shaped like a fertility goddess that represented the subjugation of women. Pesce died at 84 .

College basketball: The most anticipated women’s Final Four in history begins tonight , with Iowa and Caitlin Clark serving as headliners alongside undefeated South Carolina.

North Carolina: The N.C. State women’s and men’s basketball teams are both in the Final Four. That’s a boon for Raleigh .

Title game: Want to go to the women’s NCAA championship? It’ll cost you close to $1,000 — a bit more than the men’s.

M.L.B.: The Oakland Athletics reached a deal to play in Sacramento for the next three seasons before the team’s planned move to Las Vegas in 2028.

N.B.A.: Knicks forward Julius Randle will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

ARTS AND IDEAS

Fashion and sports: Days after L.S.U. lost to Iowa in the Elite Eight, the team’s star forward Angel Reese was still making headlines — this time in Vogue.

She used the magazine to announce she would enter the W.N.B.A. draft and posed for a shoot with clothes from Valentino, Diesel, Wales Bonner and Christian Louboutin — the latest expression of a growing overlap between fashion and sports. The Paris Olympics this summer will be the ultimate mixing of these industries , Vanessa Friedman writes.

More on culture

Former owners of Michelangelo’s villa want to sell a sketch once on a kitchen wall . But scholars are divided over whether he actually drew it.

Mel B, a former member of the Spice Girls, confirmed she was removed from the band’s group chat, The Cut reports.

Stephen Colbert said Trump’s “ April trials bring me smiles .”

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

Bake pearl couscous with chickpeas , roasted tomatoes and garlic for a one-pan vegetarian meal.

Stream The Times’s new documentary about unregulated sperm donation on Hulu.

Visit a New York City gallery .

Tend to your garden with a watering can .

Take our news quiz .

Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangram was midtown .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku and Connections .

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — German

P.S. The White House Correspondents’ Association gave awards to The Times’s Peter Baker for deadline reporting, and to Doug Mills for photojournalism.

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