7 Out Of 10 Gen Z Will Keep Being Vegan in the Next 5 Years, New Data Says

A new poll of over 3000 Gen Zers found that 7 out of 10 of them will continue to be vegan in the next five years, helping to shape the future of the food and health industry.

The poll by MIDSS found that the majority of Gen Zers are in favor of a vegan diet and while not all were vegan, it was clear from the results that veganism will continue to grow as more and more people realize the health, environmental, and ethical benefits.

Generation Z, also known as Gen Z, is the demographic cohort following Generation Y, or the Millennials. While there is some debate over the precise dates defining the boundaries of Gen Z, it is generally understood to include individuals who were born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early-to-mid 2010s. Some common characteristics attributed to Gen Z include being digital natives, highly connected to social media and technology, and having a diverse and inclusive worldview. In addition, Gen Z is also the most ethnically diverse generation in U.S. History.

Gen Z reported that their biggest reasons for going vegan were health concerns. About 50 percent of vegans chose this lifestyle because of the health benefits, the poll said. 17 percent chose to go vegan because of animal cruelty, while another 17 percent went vegan for the environment. They found 40 percent of vegans believe their dietary practices have an overall positive impact on the environment. The majority also said that they were proud of their efforts to save animals.

However, 48 percent of non-vegans doubt the positive environmental impact of veganism, while 40 percent believe it. The reason for the majority doubt of environmental benefits is not known, but it could simply be because of a lack of education, the poll said.  About 60 percent of vegans say that they also educate those around them on the benefits of veganism in hopes that others will follow, which may be why veganism is continuing to grow.

70 percent of those who were already vegan said that they had no plans to quit, and the biggest challenge for vegans was that 37 percent craved non-vegan food. Over half of the non-vegans said that meat cravings are their biggest barrier toward veganism.

Besides wanting more variety, the poll found that about 51 percent of vegans said that their biggest barrier to starting the diet was just understanding the health benefits. Fortunately, there is so much information out there that can help people make this transition. Check out our Step by Step Guide: How to Transition to a Vegan Diet.

Nearly 80 percent of non-vegans said that they will not go vegan within the next five years, but the poll pointed out that while that may seem like a big number, it doesn’t mean that the majority won’t be swayed to at least eat less meat in the future.

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Unfortunately, dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend purchasing one of our many plant-based cookbooks or downloading the Food Monster App which has thousands of delicious recipes making it the largest vegan recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

Related Content:

• Step by Step Guide: How to Transition to a Vegan Diet
• Struggling With the Transition to Eating Vegan? Try These Life Saving Tips!
• How to Transition to a Vegan Diet Without Giving Up Anything You Love
• University of Cambridge Students Vote for Completely Vegan Menus
• 5 Ways to Make a Raw Vegan Diet More Practical
• How to Choose the Right Prenatal Supplement on a Vegan Diet
• A Vegan Diet Eases Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain, New Study Finds
• 7 Reasons Why You Are Tired on a Vegan Diet
• How to Eat Intuitively on a Vegan Diet

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!