Many often ask how many vegans there are in the US now, but the question is rarely asked about the so called flexitarian movement in this country, that is, the estimated 30% of Americans who eat vegetarian as a significant portion of their meals, according to the results of an independent study commissioned by The Vegetarian Resource Group.

The big rise in flexitarian eating habits is largely attributed to the advocacy work of the the vegan movement. The diligent work of vegans bringing awareness to the non vegan majority about health, animal and environmental issues associated with the standard Western diet has paid off. That of course does not imply that all of these flexitarians will one day become vegetarians or vegans, but it certainly has cultivated an unprecedented awareness which is the first step in any major social justice movement.

Other similar studies have been prompted by the surge in new vegan / vegetarian products and vegan / vegetarian dining options which have outpaced the rise in the vegan / vegetarian population. These studies also found that the flexitarians were driving this increase in both of these market sectors.