Fact Sheets no. Vegetarianism has become popular in the United States in the second half of this century. Vegetarians can be divided into different categories depending on which animal foods are restricted in the diet. People adopt vegetarian diets for many reasons, including health, ecology, economics, ethics and religion.
Vegetarianism is a widespread practice.
In fact, a large part of the world's population subsists on vegetarian diets. In many areas, people are vegetarians because of inadequate income, lack of animal products, and religious and cultural beliefs. Vegetarianism has long been practiced in American society by a small proportion of the population. Only within the second half of this century has there been an increase in the popularity of vegetarianism in the United States. The American Dietetic Association has stated that vegetarian diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate when appropriately planned.