Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet
Background: Young generations appear to be pushing for more sustainable food production as part of the trend toward healthier dietary habits. Long-term sustainable healthy behavior from secondary school ages may contribute to the life course prevention of chronic, noncommunicable diseases. Objective...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Current Developments in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299125029592 |
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| author | Katharina C Wirnitzer Derrick R Tanous Clemens Drenowatz Gerold Wirnitzer Manuel Schätzer Gerhard Ruedl Werner Kirschner |
| author_facet | Katharina C Wirnitzer Derrick R Tanous Clemens Drenowatz Gerold Wirnitzer Manuel Schätzer Gerhard Ruedl Werner Kirschner |
| author_sort | Katharina C Wirnitzer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Young generations appear to be pushing for more sustainable food production as part of the trend toward healthier dietary habits. Long-term sustainable healthy behavior from secondary school ages may contribute to the life course prevention of chronic, noncommunicable diseases. Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the motivations and key health behaviors of secondary school pupils following vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. Methods: The present study was conducted cross-sectionally with a multi-level, cluster sampling strategy. Secondary school pupils (levels I and II) in Austria were requested to complete an online questionnaire independently or with parent/guardian or teacher supervision, including questions on personal characteristics, physical activity levels, nutrition habits, dietary motives, and alcohol and nicotine habits. The statistical analysis was performed with χ2 and analysis of variance tests. Results: A total of 8799 pupils (3249 boys; 5550 girls) with an mean age of 15.1 ± 2.3 y were classified into the vegan (1.6%), vegetarian (5.6%), or omnivorous diet (92.8%). Boys were found to be more likely to follow an omnivorous diet (97%; P < 0.01). Health was the leading motivation for dietary adherence across the total sample (33.6%; 2959). Sports performance was a leading dietary motivation among the vegan diet subgroup (20.1%). Pupils following a vegan diet were the most active during leisure time (86.6%; P < 0.01) and the most consistently active across the week (3.4 ± 1.2 d/wk; P < 0.01), and the prevalence of daily fruit and vegetable intake was the highest between the vegan subgroup (81.7% and 80.3%; P < 0.01) followed by the vegetarian subgroup (72.4% and 84.2%). Conclusions: This is the first investigation to examine the differences in motives and basic health behavior between vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets in school pupils. The findings indicate that following a vegan diet during childhood and adolescence is associated with more advantageous basic health behavioral choices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7948a79bb72466c9a7f2df5e53cbf4f |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2475-2991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Developments in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7948a79bb72466c9a7f2df5e53cbf4f2025-07-27T04:56:17ZengElsevierCurrent Developments in Nutrition2475-29912025-07-0197107498Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous DietKatharina C Wirnitzer0Derrick R Tanous1Clemens Drenowatz2Gerold Wirnitzer3Manuel Schätzer4Gerhard Ruedl5Werner Kirschner6Department of Sport Science, Leopold-Franzens University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Secondary Education, University College of Teacher Education Tyrol, Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Working Group Prevention, Integrative Medicine and Health Promotion, Otto-Heubner Centre for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine (OHC), Charité – University of Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Corresponding author.Department of Sport Science, Leopold-Franzens University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Secondary Education, University College of Teacher Education Tyrol, Innsbruck, AustriaDivision of Sport, Physical Activity, and Health, University of Education Upper Austria, Linz, AustriaRockITLime, Stans, AustriaSIPCAN – Special Institute for Preventive Cardiology and Nutrition, Elsbethen, ÖsterreichDepartment of Sport Science, Leopold-Franzens University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Sport Science, Leopold-Franzens University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaBackground: Young generations appear to be pushing for more sustainable food production as part of the trend toward healthier dietary habits. Long-term sustainable healthy behavior from secondary school ages may contribute to the life course prevention of chronic, noncommunicable diseases. Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the motivations and key health behaviors of secondary school pupils following vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. Methods: The present study was conducted cross-sectionally with a multi-level, cluster sampling strategy. Secondary school pupils (levels I and II) in Austria were requested to complete an online questionnaire independently or with parent/guardian or teacher supervision, including questions on personal characteristics, physical activity levels, nutrition habits, dietary motives, and alcohol and nicotine habits. The statistical analysis was performed with χ2 and analysis of variance tests. Results: A total of 8799 pupils (3249 boys; 5550 girls) with an mean age of 15.1 ± 2.3 y were classified into the vegan (1.6%), vegetarian (5.6%), or omnivorous diet (92.8%). Boys were found to be more likely to follow an omnivorous diet (97%; P < 0.01). Health was the leading motivation for dietary adherence across the total sample (33.6%; 2959). Sports performance was a leading dietary motivation among the vegan diet subgroup (20.1%). Pupils following a vegan diet were the most active during leisure time (86.6%; P < 0.01) and the most consistently active across the week (3.4 ± 1.2 d/wk; P < 0.01), and the prevalence of daily fruit and vegetable intake was the highest between the vegan subgroup (81.7% and 80.3%; P < 0.01) followed by the vegetarian subgroup (72.4% and 84.2%). Conclusions: This is the first investigation to examine the differences in motives and basic health behavior between vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets in school pupils. The findings indicate that following a vegan diet during childhood and adolescence is associated with more advantageous basic health behavioral choices.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299125029592plant-basedplant-predominantnutritiondietsportphysical exercise |
| spellingShingle | Katharina C Wirnitzer Derrick R Tanous Clemens Drenowatz Gerold Wirnitzer Manuel Schätzer Gerhard Ruedl Werner Kirschner Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet Current Developments in Nutrition plant-based plant-predominant nutrition diet sport physical exercise |
| title | Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet |
| title_full | Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet |
| title_fullStr | Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet |
| title_full_unstemmed | Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet |
| title_short | Difference in Motives and Basic Health Behavior of 8799 Children and Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years Following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Omnivorous Diet |
| title_sort | difference in motives and basic health behavior of 8799 children and adolescents aged 10 19 years following a vegan vegetarian or omnivorous diet |
| topic | plant-based plant-predominant nutrition diet sport physical exercise |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299125029592 |
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