- College students are more likely than the general public to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet (14% vs. 4%).
- More than 3 in 10 (31%) students who don’t eat meat say the environment is their main motivation.
- Almost half (48%) of college omnivores say they eat meat every day, while another 14% eat meat with every meal. But Republican students are twice as likely as Democratic students to eat meat at every meal (27% vs. 11%).
If oat milk’s newfound popularity is any indication, more and more young people are ditching animal products. College students are more likely than the general public to follow a plant-based diet, in large part because of concerns over climate change.
A new survey of 2,000 undergraduates finds that 14% follow a vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diet. Just 4% of adults nationally never eat meat, according to a 2019 survey conducted by The Harris Poll.
There is an evident gap between college Democrats and college Republicans, however. Democratic students are far more likely than Republican students to abstain from meat (21% vs. 4%). At the same time, female students are more likely than male students to say they follow a vegetarian or vegan diet (17% vs. 9%).
With a strong majority of college students supporting stricter environmental laws, protecting the environment is a major reason for giving up meat. More than 3 in 10 (31%) students who don’t eat meat report the environment is their main motivation. One-quarter (25%) say it’s animal rights, while 21% say it’s their health, and 12% say they grew up not eating meat.
3 in 10 Students Who Don’t Eat Meat Cite the Environment as Their Main Reason
What was your MAIN motivation for going vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based?
While a majority of students eat meat (86%), almost 3 in 10 (29%) meat eaters are trying to cut back. Yet 6 in 10 (61%) say they are content with the amount of meat they eat and 10% are trying to eat more meat. Among those who are trying to eat less meat, 16% say their main motivation is their health. Fewer cite the environment (12%) or animal rights (10%).
Almost half (48%) of college omnivores say they eat meat every day, while another 14% eat meat with every meal. A quarter (25%) say they eat meat a few times a week. Only 9% say they limit their meat consumption to a few times a year.
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to eat meat at every meal (27% vs. 11%) or every day (57% vs. 40%). Male students are also more likely than female students to eat meat at every meal (22% vs. 8%) or at least once a day (56% vs. 44%).
Republicans are Twice as Likely as Democrats to Eat Meat at Every Meal
How often do you eat meat (pork, beef, chicken, fish, etc.)?
A majority (61%) of students think the average American eats less red meat and poultry than they do in reality. The average American ate about 222 pounds of red meat and poultry last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Almost one-quarter (24%) of students believe the average American eats 102 pounds of meat in a year — less than half of the USDA’s estimation.
Although vegetarian and vegan diets may have become more popular, they are still overwhelmingly in the minority. More than two-thirds (68%) of students say no one in their immediate family follows a plant-based diet, while almost one-quarter (23%) say some family members do and 7% of students say they are the only one in their family. Vegetarian and vegan students are significantly more likely than their classmates to say everyone in their family follows a plant-based diet (13% vs. 1%), while 77% of meat eaters say they have no vegetarian relatives.
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 2,000 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
