Hard to say? The definition has become quite wide!
Nutrition for vegetarian, vegan and plant-based diets – here is the definition from the UK government:
A vegetarian is usually someone who does not eat meat, poultry, fish, or any animal by-products. However, there are different types of vegetarians.
Some common types of vegetarians are:
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarians (the most common type) – eat dairy products and eggs.
- Lacto-vegetarians – eat dairy products but not eggs.
- Ovo-vegetarian – eat eggs but not dairy products.
- Vegan – does not eat any products of animal origin so does not eat any dairy products, eggs, or honey.
Some people may also define themselves as vegetarians but still eat some fish, meat, or poultry occasionally.
- Pescatarians – eat a mainly plant-based diet but with some fish.
- Flexitarian’ or ‘semi-vegetarian’ – eat a largely plant based diet but occasionally eat meat, fish, or poultry.
Information from UK dietary surveys suggest that numbers of people following vegetarian diets have increased. In the most recent survey (2018-19), 4.5% of people said they were vegetarian or vegan.
With that expansive definition of “vegetarian’ which includes people eating fish, meat and poultry – 4.5% identify as vegetarian or vegan in the UK, which is slightly less than in the United States.
