There are four main reasons why people adopt a vegetarian diet.

1. Health Benefits
For dietary purposes, many find it easier to lose weight when they no longer consume meat. At large, vegetarians eat foods that help achieve daily recommended fibre. They also have lower cholesterol levels than the average meat-eater. This is due to the generally high cholesterol levels of meat products, and the tendency to replace these meat products with plant products that are high in fibre (Jones-Shoeman, 2011). In addition, several individual studies demonstrate links between meat-eating and serious health problems (Fox, 2000), including a 25% lower mortality from Ischaemic Heart Disease and being at a lower risk for other diseases such as diverticular disease and appendicitis (Key et al., 2007).

2. Ethical Mistreatment of Animals
Several vegetarians disclose that they choose not to eat meat due to the harming and exploitation of animals. John Robins, once an inheritant of Baskin Robins, was so against the way in which animals were being mistreated during the food-production process, that he gave up his ownership of the large-scale ice-cream company due to its primary use of animal milk products (Lawrence, 1992). More (non-explicit) information on animal cruelty can be found in the Extra Links page.

3. Religion
A large portion of the world population is vegetarian for religious purposes. Religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism are some of the largest world religions which promote a vegetarian lifestyle. Buddhism, Singapore’s most practiced religion (Census of Population, 2010), recognizes the shared and sacred life of all creatures, including animals. Specifically, Mahayanay Buddhism is the tradition in which meat consumption is frowned upon, resulting in a significant portion of Buddhists to identify themselves as vegetarian.

4. Environmental Conservation
The meat industry has several negative impacts on our environment. With greater public awareness of environmental issues, people are more likely to take part in solutions to counter these problems. One of the ways in which they do this is through the cessation of meat consumption. In fact, 47% of vegetarians in the USA will say that their main reasons for becoming a vegetarian is due to environmental concern (Statistic Brain, 2013). This follows the optimistic logic that every individual can make a difference. This blog will further discuss the relationship between vegetarianism and conservation.