Table 3.
Descriptive characteristics of the study population.
| Variable | Vegan Diet N = 47 |
Vegetarian Diet N = 100 |
Omnivorous Diet N = 107 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) | |||
| Age | 30.61 (11.64) | 28.39 (8.92) | 28.72 (9.87) |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 21.46 (4.10) | 21.97 (2.88) | 23.01 (5.35) |
| Following plant-based diet (in moths) | 44.40 (62.30) | 82.90 (102.36) | - |
| N (%) | |||
| Number of meals consumed per day | |||
| 1 | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.9) |
| 2 | 2 (4.3) | 4 (4) | 5 (4.7) |
| 3 | 16 (34.0) | 20 (20) | 27 (25.2) |
| 4 | 19 (40.4) | 38 (38) | 49 (45.8) |
| 5 | 9 (19.2) | 30 (30) | 20 (18.7) |
| More than 5 | 1 (2.1) | 8 (8) | 4 (3.7) |
| Daily water intake | |||
| Less than 1 L | 2 (4.2) | 2 (2) | 18 (16.8) |
| From 1 L to 1,4 L | 7 (14.9) | 22 (22) | 40 (37.4) |
| 1,5 L | 7 (14.9) | 29 (29) | 18 (16.8) |
| From 1,6 L to 1,9 L | 4 (8.5) | 3 (3) | 3 (2.8) |
| 2 L | 15 (31.9) | 25 (25) | 21 (19.6) |
| From 2,1 L to 2,4 L | 2 (4.3) | 3 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 2,5 L | 1 (2.1) | 9 (9) | 3 (2.8) |
| 3 L | 6 (12.8) | 4 (4) | 3 (2.8) |
| 3,5 L | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | 1 (0.9) |
| 4 L | 3 (6.4) | 2 (2) | 0 (0.0) |
| Dietary supplement consumption | |||
| Yes | 34 (72.3) | 59 (59) | 25 (23.4) |
| No | 13 (27.7) | 41 (41) | 82 (76.6) |
| Type of supplement consumed (multiple choice question) | |||
| Vitamin D | 21 (44.7) | 32 (32) | 12 (11.2) |
| Vitamin B12 | 29 (61.7) | 34 (34) | 4 (3.7) |
| Vitamin C | 1 (2.1) | 10 (10) | 2 (1.9) |
| Magnesium | 4 (8.5) | 13 (13) | 8 (7.5) |
| Moderate-intensity physical activity | |||
| Never | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 9 (8.4) |
| One per week | 5 (10.6) | 6 (6) | 42 (39.2) |
| Twice per week | 0 (0) | 13 (13) | 0 (0) |
| 3 per week | 7 (14.9) | 25 (25) | 23 (21.5) |
| 5 per week | 10 (21.3) | 18 (18) | 14 (13.1) |
| Every day | 25 (53.2) | 38 (38) | 19 (17.8) |
| Vigorous-intensity Physical Activity | |||
| Never | 16 (34.04) | 44 (44) | 51 (47.7) |
| One per week | 15 (31.91) | 30 (30) | 37 (34.6) |
| Twice per week | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| 3 per week | 10 (21.30) | 20 (20) | 14 (13.1) |
| 5 per week | 4 (8.51) | 6 (6) | 4 (3.7) |
| Every day | 2 (4.30) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.9) |
| Main reason why participants decided to follow a plant-based diet | Not applicable | ||
| Animal welfare | 25 (53.20) | 60 (60) | |
| Health | 10 (21.30) | 10 (10) | |
| Ethics | 4 (8.51) | 9 (9) | |
| Care for the natural environment | 2 (4.25) | 9 (9) | |
| Religion | 1 (2.12) | 0 (0) | |
| Economic considerations | 1 (2.12) | 0 (0) | |
| Weight loss | 2 (4.25) | 0 (0) | |
| Other reason | 2 (4.25) | 12 (12) | |
| Main reason why participants are following a plant-based diet | Not applicable | ||
| Animal welfare | 29 (61.6) | 53 (53) | |
| Health | 6 (12.8) | 13 (13) | |
| Ethics | 6 (12.8) | 17 (17) | |
| Care for the natural environment | 3 (6.4) | 7 (7) | |
| Religion | 1 (2.1) | 0 (0) | |
| Other reason | 2 (4.3) | 10 (10) | |