Young People Going Veggie For Health

There’s always some new diet or trend on the supermarket shelves or being photographed across social media that promises a healthier lifestyle. However, it seems that more and more young people are choosing to keep their diet simple rather than jumping on the bandwagon for the latest fad by reducing the amount of meat they eat.

According to a report from Mintel, a third (33 per cent) of young people are choosing to cut down on meat, turning to tofu instead, reports foodmanufacture.co.uk.

The company’s Healthy Lifestyles UK 2016 shows that women are more health conscious when it comes to giving up meaty meals, with 41 per cent having already reduced the amount of meat they eat.

While many people haven’t cut down on their favourite roast, burger or sandwich filling, almost a quarter (24 per cent) said they would be interested in trying to.

Jack Duckett, senior consumer lifestyles analyst at Mintel, said: “Aside from the environmental impact, scientists are increasingly suggesting that too much meat could be hazardous for people’s health.

“Interest in the trend has undoubtedly been driven by the significant media attention the issue has received in recent years, while a number of high-profile celebrities have also made it fashionable to explore vegetarian and vegan diets.”

via GIPHY

Although all the research into the effects of eating meat on our diets may be a reason for the willingness to go veggie, Mintel also found that younger consumers – those aged between 16 and 24 – in Britain are more likely to trust the health information they find online instead of their doctor.

Around 65 per cent of those aged between 16 and 24 admitted that their main source of information about healthy living and the one they trust the most is health websites and apps. This is compared to 63 per cent who said that health professionals were, suggesting that millennials are more likely to search their symptoms than wait around to see a GP.

Despite the drive to be healthier, many people are still struggling to make changes. Those surveyed said that the healthy living costs too much, with 26 per cent stating that healthy foods and ingredients are not affordable enough. This could mean that families are more likely to reach for a frozen meal than whip one up with fresh veggies.

Other barriers to healthy eating included the thought that healthy food doesn’t fill you up enough (22 per cent) and that it doesn’t impact body weight (21 per cent), which isn’t necessarily the case.

“For many people today, healthy eating is just a means to losing weight,” continued Mr Duckett. ” Which can, therefore, lead to frustration if it does not translate into weight loss. Similarly, with consumers indicating that they struggle to find time to exercise, they can feel defeated before they have even started.”

Although there are reasons why many people believe they can’t make healthy changes to their lifestyle, 34 per cent of Brits believe they’re healthier now than they were a year ago, so they must be doing something right!