The study states that vegan teenagers practice more often than peers eating meat

In the last study published in the journal Scientists have examined the health behavior and motivations of high school students after a vegetarian, vegan and omnivorous diet.

Food of plants is growing, but what drives the change?

In Europe, 10% of people eat vegetarian or vegan diets. A omnivorous diet is currently the most common, with approximately 91% of the global population. Nevertheless, 51% of Europeans, 59% of Germans and 51% of Austrians reduced meat consumption, and Germany doubles the number of vegetarians and vegans during the Coronirus 2019 pandemic disease (Covid-19).

A huge change in diet preferences towards plant diets, especially by younger people, can be associated with health, prosperity, animal welfare, ethics and environmental protection.

The lifestyle and health behaviors often solidify in childhood and puberty and persist in adulthood, with a limited possibility of learning healthy behavior in adulthood. Therefore, schools are an excellent environment for interventions in the field of health behavior.

The authors also note that the last reforms of Austrian school policy now require sharing vegan meals in schools, reflecting wider support for plant diets in educational conditions.

About the study

In this study, scientists analyzed the motives and health behavior of high school students after a vegetarian, vegan and omnivorous diet in Austria. They used a multi -level sampling strategy of clusters after cross -sectional design. A standardized survey was available in the field of national participation of high school students.

The survey can be completed at any time using a computer, tablet or smartphone under the supervision of parents or school staff. He was based on individual characteristics, physical activity (PA), exercises, sport, diet, nutrition and health. The entire study included control questions to determine conflicts and illegal reactions.

The study was collected information about age, nationality, sex, residence, anthropometrics, type of diet (vegan, vegetarian or omnivorous), dietary motifs (e.g. animal care, health, tradition, environmental protection), interest in lifestyle and dietary style (taking vegetation and fruit, fluid intake).

Students were classified as vegan, omnivorous or vegetarian based on the response to the survey. Analysis of variance tests (Anova) and Chi-Kwadrat was used for statistical analyzes. The authors recognize some restrictions, such as reported data and sample sizes for unbalanced diet groups.

The cross -section of the examination also means that the causality cannot be determined.

Who eats? Dietary trends, gender and age

In total, 8,799 students were included. On average, they were 15.1 years old and had normal body weight. Most students are women (63%), rural residents (68%), and observed omnivorous diet (92%). Only 7.2% of students followed the diets that are magazine, with 1.6% vegan and 5.6% vegetarian. More men followed the bracket while more women after a vegan or vegetarian diet.

The article suggests that this may result from several factors, including parental habits and the socio-cultural association of diet focused on meat with masculinity.

Motivations revealed: What makes students choose a diet?

Vegan and omnivorous diets were more common in high school students, while vegetarian diets were more common among high school students. Among the students of vegetarian students was a much higher dissemination among vegetarian students. Animal well -being was the most common motif for vegetarian students and then health.

And vice versa, health was the most popular motif for students after omnivorous or vegan, followed by sports for vegans and the taste of omnivores. A lifestyle of a specific sport and engaging in sport, exercises and PA was most often considered cool in the sample. Meanwhile, 1.4% and 6.1% of students considered smoking and consumption of alcohol as cool.

While some authors notice that the vegan lifestyle was cool, the authors notice that this does not match the arrangements from other countries, such as the study in Great Britain, in which young people described a vegan lifestyle as “cooler than smoking”.

Lifestyle choice: activity, diet and “cold” during puberty

In particular, more men reported meat eating as cool than women, while females more often mentioned a vegetarian lifestyle and diet. Most participants (82%) were regularly involved in sports in their free time.

The frequency of free time activity was higher among vegan students (86%), although participation in more organized club sports did not differ significantly between groups. It should also be noted that despite these differences, the average level of activity for all groups did not meet the daily 60-minute recommendation for teenagers.

In addition, most students reported daily fruit (66%) and vegetables (64%).

Daily habits: fruits, vegetables and what students drink

In dietary subgroups, daily fruit consumption was much more widespread among vegan students than among omnivores or vegetarians. Meanwhile, the daily intake of vegetables was much more widespread among vegetarian and vegan students compared to omnivores. The level of fluid intake was comparable in dietary subgroups.

Water was the most common drink, and then syrup, fruit juices and non -alcoholic beverages.

More vegetarians reported water as the most common drink (84%) than vegans (75%) and omnivores (72%). And vice versa, syrup and fruit juice were the most common drinks among omnivores, and tea was the most common drink for vegans. About 47% of students consumed alcohol, and 9.3% of smokers.

Alcohol consumption was much higher among vegetarians (55%) compared to omniphymes (46.5%) or vegan (38.0%).

The authors of the article note that this may be related to the medium -old vegetarian group (15.9 years), placing them more at the age of 16 in Austria at the age of 16 for beer and wine.

What does this mean for schools and health?

To sum up, health remains the most important motive for choosing a diet, and sports involvement and lifestyle are the main causes of lifestyle preferences. While omniphane diet was a dominant choice of diet, students of the vegan diet were the most active in their free time.

Discoveries confirm the idea that diets abundant in plants are associated with a healthier level of activity, which can be the main factor dealing with a global epidemic of obesity.

The authors emphasize that these results emphasize the potential of becoming a key environment of public health intervention. They are in favor of a double approach of “healthy eating and active life” (treatment) under the school curriculum and suggest that improving the availability and quality of meal options in dominant plants in schools can improve not only dietary habits, but also the level of physical activity among students.

Although these discoveries are most directly important for Austria, the authors notice that they can also apply to culturally similar countries.