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What do vegetarians in the United States eat?
1Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA. ehaddad@sph.llu.edu
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|August 26, 2003
Summary
Vegetarian dietary patterns in the US are generally healthier, featuring lower fat and higher fiber intake. Even self-defined vegetarians who consume some meat show improved nutritional profiles compared to nonvegetarians.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Dietary Epidemiology
Background:
- National dietary surveys have lacked descriptions of vegetarian dietary patterns and nutrient intakes.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for public health initiatives and dietary guidelines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To profile and compare nutrient and food consumption patterns of self-defined vegetarians and nonvegetarians.
- To analyze dietary differences within a representative sample of the US population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 13,313 participants (aged ≥6 years) in the Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII) 1994-1996, 1998.
- Categorized participants as self-defined vegetarians or nonvegetarians based on self-identification and meat consumption (≤10 g/d).
- Employed two nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls for detailed food consumption analysis.
Main Results:
- Self-defined vegetarians (0.9% of sample) had lower body mass indexes compared to meat-eating nonvegetarians.
- Vegetarian diets were generally lower in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and higher in fiber.
- Meat-consuming vegetarians consumed more grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and wine than nonvegetarians.
Conclusions:
- Self-defined vegetarians, even those consuming some meat, poultry, or fish, exhibit generally healthier dietary patterns.
- Findings highlight the potential health benefits associated with vegetarian dietary patterns.