Studies suggest that diet may be a significant factor in explaining the reduced risk of those cancer sites which are unrelated to alcohol or tobacco. The percentage of Adventists who follow a vegetarian lifestyle is significantly different depending on the educational background and place of residence. Fifty-three percent of those who live in rural areas are vegetarians, whereas 38 percent from urban areas are vegetarians. Heavy meat-eaters use more cheese, eggs, sweets, and chip foods and less vegetables than do vegetarians. They also tend to eat their biggest meal in the evening and to snack between meals.
Obesity is much more common among heavy meat-users.
Vegetarians tend to exercise more vigorously and regularly, to eat their biggest meal in the morning, and to snack less between meals. Use or nonuse of meat has been shown to be a rather reliable predictor of the adherence to other health-habits among SDAs. This hypothesis has been confirmed by a health habit index constructed by the research team. Early in 1980 the research team reported that only 21 percent of those who use meat heavily follow 10 or more of these 15 habits, compared to 65 percent of the vegetarians. The Adventist Health Study can also compare Adventists with one lifestyle to Adventists with different lifestyles, due to the fact that Adventists subscribe to a wide variety of dietary and exercise habits.