Past Feature Vegetarian Survey Results Fill out our newest survey! December 2003 We asked visitors to tell us where they live, what kind of vegetarians they are, how long they have been vegetarians and their reasons for choosing vegetarianism. We received 238 responses! Here are the results: Where do you live? We received responses from: ·
Five countries: Bermuda, Canada, Japan, Norway and the United States
What kind of vegetarian are you? These are the categories that people chose to identify themselves by: · Vegetarian -
37% Read definitions of vegetarians. 
How long have you been a vegetarian? The range was one week to 30 years. Four respondents have been vegetarians since birth.
Why did you become a vegetarian? We received a wide range of responses, with most visitors sharing more than one reason for choosing vegetarianism. The most popular responses included health, ethical and spiritual or religious reasons. Other reasons included weight control, history of family health problems, environmental concerns, being raised vegetarian, reading and research on vegetarianism, believing that vegetarianism is in keeping with the natural order of life, and the influence of friends.
Sample of reasons for becoming a vegetarian: There is no valid reason for eating flesh. I knew it was best for me and my children. I want to live a longer and healthier life. As a woman of African descent, I can easily compare the treatment of our ancestors in this country to the way "farm animals" are treated. These innocent creatures, which have the right to live and enjoy life, are bred for slavery and slaughter. They have every right to live free, just as all things that live on this earth. When these animals die, they are full of fear. I do not want to consume their fear (not to mention the chemicals they are fed) by eating them. People of color have always had respect and lived in harmony with nature. To not do so costs us our lives-we suffer from diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I believe in treating others the way I would like to be treated, because what comes around goes around. Death begets death. It's the original diet God gave to us before deception of "eating whatever you want" came into acceptance. I became a disciple of a yogi master. I began to read about the diseases and disorders that can arise as a result of eating meat. I eliminated meat from my diet and began eating more vegetables and fruits. My energy increased and I have less mood swings. As a mental health professional, I'm interested in the positive effects that a vegetarian diet can have on mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, etc. I was sick for many years with chronic asthma, allergies, high blood pressure and obesity. I decided to try a vegan lifestyle and it worked! The results have been astonishing. I have lost 70 pounds and I am no longer taking any medications. I have also started exercising and pursuing a healthier lifestyle in general. Right now I am a vegan, but in the future I plan to eat only raw fruits, vegetables and nuts with a little olive oil. I wish more Black people would realize that their lifestyles, mainly their eating habits, are killing them. My parents raised me and my two sisters and brother as vegetarians. I don't know any other way to live and prefer not to change. Made fun of friends who were vegetarians and they gave me books to read. I read the information, gained the knowledge and decided to make the change to a healthier lifestyle. Family history of diabetes, cancer and arthritis…had to recognize truth. My belief is the Holy Bible teaches humankind not to consume blood. I grew up in the Caribbean and was introduced to vegetarianism through Rastafari culture. At 14, I read Afrikan Holistic Health by Laila Afrika and changed my whole life. Back in the early 70's, many African Americans were interested in vegetarianism. I am from Harlem and at that time there were quite a few small health food stores located there. At Howard University (where I attended) so many students became vegetarian that one half of the serving line was for non meat-eaters. Dick Gregory came to the university and gave a lecture on the benefits of not eating meat. By the time he was finished, I was convinced. I am only in contact with a few people who attended Howard the same time I did. I am pleased to say that they are still vegetarians too. I don't want to end up taking medicine for hypertension like my two brothers and my sister. Baby chickens…I just started feeling bad about eating anything that had parents.
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