Self-Reported Adherence to Vegetarian and Vegan Diets: Insights From the 3rd Bavarian Food Consumption Survey

Vegetarian and vegan diets are increasingly popular in Germany due to ethical considerations, perceived health and environmental benefits. Regionally representative data, particularly for Bavaria, remain scarce. This study updates the prevalence, demographics and eating motives of vegetarians and vegans using data from the 3rd Bavarian Food Consumption Survey (BVS III; 2021-2023), a repeated, population-based, representative study. Stratified random sampling recruited 1503 adults aged 18-75 years via resident registration offices. Dietary intake was assessed using repeated 24-h recalls. Participants self-identified their diets. Individuals indicating 'vegetarian' or 'vegan' were pooled and compared to omnivores. The prevalence of vegetarian/vegan diets increased from 2.2% (2002/2003) to 6.3%. Higher education (OR: 4.2; 95% CI: 1.7-10.2) and being female (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2-4.2) significantly predicted adherence, while urbanity and age did not. Compared to omnivores, vegetarians/vegans reported stronger motivations related to health and environmental concerns (p < 0.001) but placed less importance on sociability (p = 0.017) and traditional eating (p = 0.042). Adjusted mean protein intake was significantly lower in vegetarians/vegans (62.4 g/d vs. 70.3 g/d, p = 0.004), yet still adequate. Essential amino acid intake was also lower; their relative proportion (~50%) was comparable between groups. Fibre intake was significantly higher among vegetarians/vegans (23.8 g/day vs. 16.5 g/day, p < 0.001). The prevalence of vegetarian and vegan diets nearly tripled over two decades. The findings substantiate a regressive trend in meat consumption in the region, driven by health rather than environmental concerns.