Study Finds Children And Teenagers Are More Open To Meat-Free Diets

A new study has found that children and teenagers are more open to meat-free diets than adults, but can struggle to maintain them without familial support.

The study’s result shows that childhood and adolescence could be a unique window of opportunity in which to reduce meat consumption in future generations.

To carry out the new study, researchers from the University of Exeter surveyed more than 1,000 young adults aged 18 to 26 years old. They asked those participants whether they had ever thought about giving up meat while growing up, and 48.5 percent said that they had considered doing so before finishing secondary school.

Disgust at learning that meat comes from animals was the main reason that younger kids thought about giving it up, while teenagers and older children were more likely to go vegetarian as a result of their environmental and health concerns.

On average, initial thoughts about giving up meat occurred at roughly 11 years old, and 50.4 percent of those who considered it followed through. The study also found that most younger people eventually began eating meat again, primarily due to taste, convenience, social pressure, and family routines. Support from parents was notably the strongest factor in whether participants maintained a meat-free diet.

Psychology of Human-Animal Intergroup Relations published “Early Attempts to Stop Eating Meat: Prevalence, Predictors and Outcomes Among UK Youth” in March.

‘Many are motivated by moral, environmental, and emotional factors’

Lead researcher Luke McGuire, a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter, said, “There’s a growing shift towards plant-based eating, but many adults still struggle to change their behaviour and view eating meat as natural, normal, and necessary.”

He added, “This makes dietary change among adults challenging, but research shows children place a similar moral value on animal lives as on human lives and are less likely than adults to view eating meat as morally acceptable.

“We therefore wanted to understand whether these beliefs are related to behaviours and what makes young people consider vegetarian or vegan diets and found many are motivated by moral, environmental, and emotional factors.”

Vegetarian and vegan diets are safe for kids and young people

Photo shows two children's hands as they eat a plant-based lunch with salad and fruit — Adobe Stock Research shows that meat-free diets, whether vegan or vegetarian, are safe and often beneficial for children

A 2025 study found that Plant-based diets can aid childrens’ growth and support their heart health, but emphasized the need for effective planning to meet young people’s nutritional and health requirements with plant-based diets.

“Research has shown vegetarian or vegan diets are safe for children and can be beneficial to their health, if done correctly,” McGuire said. “It means with the right support from parents and schools – and improvements in the convenience and appeal of plant-based foods – childhood could represent a powerful opportunity to encourage healthier and more sustainable eating habits.”

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