A SNOWBALL sampling technique was used to con tact 76 self-defined vegetarians between October 1987 and February 1989. Respondents were ques tioned in the course of loosely-structured interviews on such topics as the type of vegetarianism they practised, the process of conversion, and nutritional attitudes. The interviews were taped and fully tran scribed, the transcripts being subjected to detailed qualitative analysis. The present paper sets out those findings which relate specifically to health concerns and motives. The findings suggest that while health motives are not necessarily the dom inant ones for the majority of this group of respondents, for many of those interviewed the per ceived health advantages represent significant ad ditional benefits of vegetarianism, benefits which complement and confirm their ethical stance.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Kuffner GJVegetarianism Index of Modern InformationWashington D CAbbe Publishers Association, 1988
2.
Simoons FJEat Not This Flesh Food Avoidances in the Old WorldMadison University of Wisconsin Press, 1961
Twigg J.Food for Thought Purity and VegetarianismReligion19799 Spring 13-35
5.
Twigg J.Vegetarianism and the Meanings of Meat, in Murcott A (Ed) The Sociology of Food and EatingAldershot Gower, 1983
6.
Freeland-Graves JH,Greninger SA and Young RK A demographic and social profile of age- and sex-matched vegetarians and nonvegetarians Journal ofThe American Dietetic Association1986.86907-913.
7.
Freeland-Graves JH, Greninger SA and Young RK Health practices, attitudes and beliefs of vegetarians and nonvegetarians Journal ofThe American Dietetic Association198686913-918
8.
Dwyer JT, Mayer LDVH, Dowd K.Kandel RF and Mayer J.The New Vegetarians The Natural High? Journal ofThe American Dietetic Association197465. 529-536
9.
Adams CJThe Sexual Politics of MeatCambndge. Polity Press. 1990
10.
Social Surveys (Gallup Poll) Ltd The 1988Survey into Meat Eating and Vegetarianism. Commissioned by the Realeat Co Ltd, 1988.
11.
MORI/Sunday Times Attitudes to Health and Diet 1989.
12.
Coleman JSRelational Analysis The Study of Social Organisations with Survey Methods , in Denzin NK. (Ed) Sociological Methods. A Sourcebook. London: Butterworths, 1970.
