Introduction
Veganism is a term used in reference to people with a strict vegetarian diet that excludes meat, dairy products, and eggs from animals. There is a growing number of Americans, 10%, who claim to be vegans (Norwood & Bir, 2022). The influence to conform to the vegan diet has resulted in a significant reduction in meat consumption, even for the omnivorous. For example, some individuals eat only milk, fish, or eggs but not meat. According to Ahlgrim (2019), veganism started as a lifestyle but is now a large social movement interested in social, political, and environmental structure. Other people perceive veganism as being fixated on asceticism, consumerism, deontological ethics, and identity (Dickstein et al., 2020). The different conceptualization of veganism has caught the interest of media, scholars, and entrepreneurs. Although there are many reasons for choosing vegetarianism, some of the main motivations include health precautions, environmental and animal welfare concerns, religious and cultural beliefs, and ethics.
Keywords: Vegan, Veganism, diet, non-vegan health, environment, beliefs, collective behavior.
Theoretical Underpinning: Collective Behavior Theory
The cultural behavior theory helps in understanding the interplay between major social movements and change. The model supposes that interaction between people can lead to mass decision-making when there is a disaster (Ahlgrim, 2019). Relatedly, the rise of the veganism lifestyle is a result of behavioral choice that offers solidarity with others. For instance, a study by Martinelli and De Canio (2021) found that there was an increasing number of non-vegans purchasing the vegan food. Such a shift in society is almost impulsive as it influences people within the same cultural context to have similar mannerisms. Thus, the decision to shift from omnivorous to a vegetarian diet emanates from pressure from others and the belief that there is an imminent danger, such as chronic health conditions, environmental degradation, increased cruelty to animals, and disobedience to cultural beliefs.
Vegan Lifestyle as Health Precaution
One of the reasons people are increasingly forsaking meat and animal products in their diet is to increase their physical and emotional well-being. In a study by Bertuzzi (2017), findings reveal that 46.7% of individuals who identify as vegetarians made the decision for health reasons. The implication is that society is becoming more conscious of the health issues resulting from sedentary lifestyles and food choices. The vegan diet is perceived as a healthier option because it helps in managing weight, is high in some nutrients, and helps in fighting cancerous cells.
Switching to a vegan diet from a typical western diet that is mostly comprised of processed meat can help improve health. For instance, if a person becomes an absolute vegetarian, the common foods are whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and peas (Petre, 2022). These foods increase the daily intake of beneficial products, including potassium, magnesium, vitamins and folate. Moreover, vegan diets are higher in iron, but the body does not easily absorb it as it is with meat and animal products. Nonetheless, eating vegan may improve the immunity of a person and make them less prone to diseases.
Moreover, eating animal-based products may directly transfer diseases to humans. For instance, over the years, there have been rising food scandals due to the outbreak of diseases such as foot-and-mouth-disease, dioxin in milk, bovine spongiform, and other pathogens in eggs and milk, which have made consumers to lose confidence in such products (Jallinoja, Vinnari & Niva, 2018). Besides, red meat has been associated with cancer, especially when eaten regularly, in large quantities, and with poor cooking methods. Consequently, many people now opt to change their lifestyle to vegan because grains and vegetables are associated with fewer diseases.
Obesity and overweight are associated with several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes. According to Petre (2022), observational studies show that vegans lower body mass indexes when compared to the non-vegans. Furthermore, a vegan diet is highly effective in losing weight because they have high fiber and increases satiety. The implication is that vegetarians tend to eat less, have improved bowel movement, and less cholesterol intake. These characteristics make non-animal products effective for managing an optimal weight. Given that obesity is now a concern for healthcare providers, it is expected that people make a lifestyle change for eating more vegan.
Vegan diet enhances the functions of key body organs such as the kidney, liver, and heart. The high levels of antioxidants protect the body cells from damage. Moreover, the consumption of vegan diet increases insulin sensitivity and reduces the chances of developing diabetes (Petre, 2022). In addition, those who regularly consume vegetables and whole grains have less sugar intake. For instance, one study established that 46% of people introduced to the vegan diet stopped using blood sugar medication compared to 26% of those who followed the ADA-recommended diet plan (Petre, 2022). Therefore, people who eat vegan are likely to have better quality of life.
Environmental and Animal Welfare Concerns
The increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, destruction of the ozone layer, and pollution have reached a disastrous level, influencing people to take a lifestyle change to protect the environment. One study found that 12% of people who decided to adopt a vegan diet were influenced by the desire to protect the environment (Bertuzzi, 2017). Noteworthy, there are adverse effects on the consumption and production of animal-based food. For example, the carbon footprint of sheep and goats, the land use of cattle, and the high-water intake of animals when compared to crops is a cause for concern (Jallinoja, Vinnari & Niva, 2018). The implication is that the environmental cause for keeping animals is costly and further threatens climate change issues. As indicated in the collective behavior theory, people tend to make a uniform change in practices when there is an impending disaster. Thus, one of the reasons for vegan lifestyle is to enhance the ecosystem.
Livestock agriculture has a significant and durable impact on land degradation and pollution. Particularly, due to the high demand for land, farmers have to cut down trees to get more places for rearing animals. When large animal herds step on the ground, they can cause soil erosion. Moreover, farmed animals contribute at least 37% of the global GHG emissions (Hussein, 2022). The waste from the animals cause pollution of water and air, making the surrounding unfit for humans. For example, animals such as pigs have a foul smell that may irritate the neighbors.
The global concern about food safety demands that people reason out some of the ways that they can ensure the next generation has enough meals. Yet, it is estimated that the food that is currently being used to feed animals is enough to satisfy 3.5 billion people (Hussein, 2022). The world population continues to grow, and there is increased desertification that may negatively impact people in the future. It is prudent to turn to a vegan lifestyle which will help the world to become more food secure by changing entrepreneurship venture from livestock to crop farming. Some people take an ethical stance when it comes to protecting animals. They believe that caging and slaughtering animals for food and products causes pain, making such practices immoral. Such people avoid anything that can inflict suffering on the animal as they would a human. Thus, ethics is a growing reason for people adopting a vegan diet.
Animal welfare activists advocate for caring for caring of animals instead of killing, poaching or injuring them without a noble reason. In addition, the concern for animals is measured in terms of the level of stress hormones, the pain inflicted, and the time of transport (Azrak & Charlebois, 2020). The technological method of animal farming has brought about changes that are inhumane. For instance, after 1950, farming structures such as confinement was popularized (Azrak & Charlebois, 2020). The animals are forced to stay indoor facilities and are fed with the ultimate aim of fattening in readiness for slaughter. Increasing number of vegans may lead to a reduction of such farming as entrepreneurs will start considering other investments. However, one study found that activists are sensitive to visceral disgust, which directly relates to attitudes toward animal welfare (Azrak & Charlebois, 2020). The implication is that in as much as some people become vegetarians because they advocate for animal welfare, not all vegans are activists.
Religious and Cultural Beliefs
The relationship between humans and the environment can be deeper than a scientific explanation of the ecosystem. There are people who believe that there is a divine connection between the plants, animals, and gods. Other religious groups perceive some domesticated animals as holy and worthy of worship. Such kinds of religious beliefs are likely to influence some people into a vegan lifestyle. Moreover, cultural beliefs that forbid eating some animal products can influence the people to choose to abstain from eating meat and its products. It is worth noting that religion and culture play a significant role in people’s way of life and socialization. As more people become religious, it is expected that the population of vegetarians will increase.
Several religious groups are now advocating for a change in attitude and behavior in regards to the way people treat animals. For instance, the living change which is an international initiative for people different faith have several initiatives for promoting traditional based food products (Tesfamariam, 2020). Some of the activities that they perform include having a dinner meeting where they eat only the vegan meals. In doing so, they help in changing the attitude of people and improving their lifestyle.
The Muslims are increasingly promoting the plant-based diets in their religious practices, for example, there is a sect that adopts a 100% Green Ramadan (Tesfamariam, 2020). They commit to fasting and as they open, they only eat vegetables and grains to promote the good environment. The green Ramadan is a holy season where the Muslims not only pray and fast but also reflect on the impact that they are having on the community. Relatedly, the Catholic are trying to change their lent program to be plant-based. During the forty das of fasting before the Good Friday, they abstain from meat and only eat plant-based diet. Thus, major religious groups are coming up with strategies for promoting the vegan lifestyle.
Moreover, some religions worship animals believing they are sacred or divinities. The practice of worshipping nature was common with the traditional indigenous communities. Some sects of Indians worship cows and pigs, and a group of Christians and Muslims believes that pigs are dirty animals with demons. Notably, the people holding such faith cannot eat the same animals they believe to be gods or inhabited by evil. Therefore, the motivation for adopting a vegan lifestyle is partly influenced by such beliefs.
In western countries, the current cultural position for meat consumption is ambivalent. People praise meat as a core component of nutritious meals and, at the same time, criticize it for being harmful to human health. This is a shift from traditional believes that meat was good and for the consumption of the wealthy people. As stated by Jallinoja, Vinnari & Niva (2018), meat is often expensive in western societies compared to vegetables and green. Consequently, many people would buy beef as an expression of a lavish lifestyle. Furthermore, meat was taken as a token of health, masculinity, and strength. However, the norm is changing, and people no longer equate eating animals to being rich. Such a paradigm shift in tradition has a significant impact on influencing a vegan lifestyle.
There has been a significant cultural shift in communication channels which further shapes the lifestyle of consumers. For instance, entrepreneurs selling organic vegan products do most of their advertisements on social media networks such as Facebook (Jürkenbeck, Schleicher & Meyerding, 2019). To influence the purchase of their products, the businessmen make it possible for the customers to join the production cycle in which the farmers are given a chance to explain their produce. As people get more information about the significance of vegan eating, they are likely to change their attitudes toward plant-based products and eventually change their lifestyles (Miguel, Coelho & Bairrada, 2020). The implication is that people are no longer viewing vegetables as the food for the poor, as evident in the continuous rising of prices for vegan food. Thus, the cultural shift and change of attitude towards the vegan diet are resulting in lifestyle changes.
Moreover, there is a change in the presentation and naming of some vegan food products to attract more consumers. For instance, there are now oat milk, oat yogurt, soya meat and other pleasant terminologies that do not make vegan appear like herbs as they were once perceived. For instance, a consumer research enterprise found that the “number of plant-based food and drink products in the US more than doubled between 2012 and 2018” (Kateman, 2019). The names that the products are given are slowly influencing the purchase decision. Moreover, the packaging may indicate that the plant-based milk is fortified with minerals and vitamins that increase its nutritional value.
Conclusion
In conclusion, veganism is now a new way of life for many people in western countries. The social movement change in which people make collective decisions to avoid meat due to perceived negative effects aids in explaining the shift. The health crisis due to the increase in chronic diseases is one of the reasons that motivate westerners to opt for vegetarian meals, which are healthier. In addition, animal activists advocate for the ethical treatment of animals. Social movement on the environmental damage that the meat process and animal agriculture cause is perceived as enough reason to adopt a vegan lifestyle. A few people are collectively motivated to eat vegan due to cultural and religious beliefs. Thus, multiple factors influence the decision of people to stop eating meat and other animal products.
References
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