Vegans, vegetarians make up small percentage of US adults

Just 4% of Americans identify as vegetarian and 1% as vegan
That's a slight decline from the early 2000s
Liberals and low-income earners are more likely to go meat-free

Updated: Aug 26, 2023 / 11:27 AM CDT

Beyond Meat “Beyond Burger” patties made from plant-based substitutes for meat products sit on a shelf for sale on November 15, 2019 in New York City. – Vegetarian alternatives to burgers and sausages, revived by start-ups like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger, are enjoying a certain enthusiasm that meat giants also want to enjoy. Since this summer, the world leader in the JBS sector has been marketing a soy burger in Brazil that includes beetroot, garlic and onions, with a look similar to a rare minced steak. In the US, the largest meat producer Tyson Foods launched a new line of products in June based on plants or mixing meat and vegetables. Its competitors Hormel Foods, Perdue Farms or Smithfield, have similar initiatives. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — Just 4% of U.S. adults identify as vegetarian and only 1% identify as vegan, according to new data.

Gallup polling surveyed Americans, with the findings holding steady from the past few years. However, it is a slight decline from 1999 and 2001, when 6% of Americans said they were vegetarian.

The groups most likely to be vegetarian were people who identified as liberal politically and those who were low-income. Women were also more likely to be vegetarian than men.

Plant-based products have become increasingly popular, even appearing on the menus of fast-food restaurants. While there are many different reasons, from health to environmentalism, that people may opt out of meat, the products may also appeal to those simply looking to cut down on the amount of meat they consume.

In 2019, Gallup found that half of Americans surveyed were familiar with plant-based products and four in ten had tried them. However, according to the latest survey results, it seems few Americans are moving away from meat altogether.