VEGANISM RESEARCHAMELIA BROWNE

PRIMARY RESEARCHI PRODUCED AN ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE WHICH I SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WITH THE INTENT TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT VEGANISM, AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT, THE MAJORITY OF THE QUESTIONS ASKED WERE QUANTITATIVE AS I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY THE RESULTS, HOWEVER A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS HAD ADDITIONAL COMMENT BOXES, ALLOWING ME TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PEOPLES OPINIONS AND REASONINGS THROUGH QUALITATIVE RESEARCH.

Over 90% of the people who took part in my questionnaire where not vegan, this is beneficial for me as it means that I can greater understand the target audience for the Veganuary project as, it is targeted at people who are not yet vegan. By having a great number of opinions from people who are not vegan I am able to gain a greater understanding of them and how to target them as an audience.The opinions of people who are vegan which answered my questionnaire, are however also important, as I am able to understand why they chose to become vegan, which might perhaps, be a reason others may be willing to become vegan; therefore helping me with my research.

The most useful information from this question, is drawn from the comment box as it allows me to find out what concerns some people may have about becoming vegan, and also what other people would like to find out more about. This information can then help me decide what would be most useful to write about, because more people will want to find out about that information and find it useful. The quantitative data for this question is also useful information drawn from this question, as it allows me to find out what issues are more important to address as a greater majority are asking them; more people are less willing to try veganism, therefore it is important to address their concerns, in order to try and convince them otherwise, however the ‘Yes’ answers are still important as the responses are fairly evenly split.

The responses for this question where very equally spilt, however slightly more responded ‘No’ to being asked if they would take part in Veganuary. The information from this question is useful as it shows that more people would be willing to take part in Veganuary than simply becoming vegan straight away. This is useful to know as it shows me that less people are apposed to veganism, they most likely have un addressed concerns. The fact that it is only short term is a factor which people may find appealing, this is something which could therefore be emphasized in order to introduce people to veganism.

This question shows that the things which most draw people to veganism is animal equality and the health benefits. This therefore shows me that these are the points which I should concentrate on more when promoting Veganuary as it is more likely to have effect rather than promoting the nutritional benefits where only 2.17% of my audience said this ‘draws them most to being vegan’. The option for ‘None of the above’ however made up 23.91% of the responses, this shows that people are most likely unaware of the above benefits to veganism, therefore meaning it may be beneficial to educate about the above reasons as this may convince them to think otherwise.

31 people out of 47 said one of the reasons they were deterred from veganism was that they would no longer be able to eat meat, other things which deterred a great number of people where, not knowing where to eat out and thinking that they couldn’t have a balanced diet. This information collected from this survey is particularly important as it shows me what issues may be preventing people from trying veganism. In order to change this I could provide information which counteracts the the main arguments people have against becoming vegan. Therefore hopefully encouraging more people to try it and take part in Veganuary.

The results from this question show me that the most common way people found out about veganism are through social media or from talking to their friends. This is useful as it tells me how I should present my information, social media is particularly image based, as more people are likely to have interest if there is an interesting image which catches their eye rather than just a piece of text. On the other hand when speaking to friends a topic such as this is most likely to be spoken about through pieces of small information or ‘fun facts’. Therefore by producing work to suit this it is more likely to reach a greater audience.

Approximately 60% of the people I asked said yes to this question. This shows that the majority of people in fact do understand the reasons why people choose to become vegan. This means that it is unnecessary to explain the reasons why in great detail. However a large number of the people I asked didn’t understand or only partially understood the reasons why, therefore it would be useful to contain some information explaining the reasons. This is because a greater understanding of the basic principles could make them want to find out more or even convince them to try veganism.

The information collected from this question is useful as it shows me in greater detail what people think about veganism regarding health; which seems to be a key aspect of weather people will want to try veganism or not. Although the majority of people believe that veganism is healthy quite a large number (34.09%) believe that veganism is unhealthy. The reasons left in the comment box help to provide me with an understanding of the reasons why people think this. In order to convince people to try veganism I believe that it is important to convince them that it is a healthy lifestyle it is therefore important to address their concerns, in order to try and convince them otherwise.

This question is one of the more useful ones included in my survey as it is particularly helpful in helping me work out what is most important and relevant to inform on. As if people have the answers to the questions they ask then they are more likely to try veganism, rather than if they didn’t understand about the topic. From this question it shows that people are most interested about: the effects on health, what vegans can eat, recipes, can it provide a balanced diet and places you can eat. Therefore by containing information about these areas people will have a greater understanding of veganism and will therefore be more likely to try it out.

SECONDARY RESEARCHIN ORDER TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VEGANISM, I UNDERTOOK SOME SECONDARY RESEARCH, I WENT ABOUT THIS BY ASKING MYSELF QUESTIONS WHICH I WANTED TO FIND ANSWERS TO AND THEN LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER BY READING ONLINE ARTICLES, AND SUMMARIZING WHAT THE ARTICLE WAS ABOUT AS WELL AS PICKING OUT KEY QUOTES WHICH WOULD BE USEFUL FOR LATER. I ALSO LOOKED AT CURRENT INFOGRAPHICS ABOUT VEGANISM IN ORDER TO SEE THEIR STYLE AND HOW THE INFORMATION CAN BE SHOWN IN A MORE VISUALLY INTERESTING WAY. MY RESEARCH CAME FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES, SOME OF WHICH ARE MORE VALID THAN OTHERS, THE MAIN WEBSITES WHICH I LOOKED AT WHERE 'THE VEGAN SOCIETY' AND THE 'VEGANUARY' WEBSITE

WHAT IS VEGANISM?The Vegan Societyhttps://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism

Summary: this article provides an overview of what veganism is and involves, including a brief history, what vegans are allowed to eat and information about other products which they do not use such as clothing or bathroom items. From this article I have learnt about the other areas in which veganism is involved other than as a diet.

Tags: Veganism, History, Medicines, Vegan Lifestyle, avoid exploitation, way of living, plant based diet, definition

Quotes:• “to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, commodities, work,

hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man”.

• “a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey - as well as products like leather and any tested on animals.”

• “A vegan diet is richly diverse and comprises all kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans and pulses”

• “From accessories and clothing to bathroom items, animal products are found in more places than you might expect”

• “over 22,000 products and services registered with our Vegan Trademark alone”• “all medicine in the UK must be tested on animals…The Vegan Society DOES

NOT recommend you avoid medication prescribed to you by your doctor”

Further research: I could look at the history of veganism in further detail, I could find out more regarding the exploitation of animals and reasons why vegans do not support it, I could find out more about how what kinds of meals vegans eat, and how they keep a balanced diet.

CAN VEGANISM PROVIDE A BALANCED DIET?BBC Good Food (10th May 2016)http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/balanced-diet-vegan

Summary: this page provides a greater explanation into what vegans can and cant eat, it also addresses the reference intake and which foods the needed nutrients can be found in, as well as providing example meals to provide you with the correct amount of nutrients per day, there are also a couple of health benefits of a vegan diet listed.

Tags: vegan diet, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, Reference Intake, meals

Quotes:• “estimated 150,000 vegans in the UK”• “Thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and

potentially some cancers and type 2 diabetes.”• “You’ll also be avoiding animal by-products like rennet…Quorn, are off the menu because they

contain egg and sometimes dairy.”• “The RIs are benchmarks for the amount of energy (kilocalories), fat, saturated fat,

carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt that an average adult should consume each day.”• Information stated in the reference intake table (shown above)• “vegans need to include fortified breakfast cereals and soya products, and possibly consider

taking a B12 supplement”• “protein from foods such as nuts, seeds, beans and pulses.”• “Plants are a good source of iron,…Whole grains are a great source of the mineral zinc,”

Further research: I could look further into the health benefits of this diet, I could find examples of typical meals that vegans eat, I could also find more information about what vitamins, minerals etc. that we need in our diet and where vegans could get them from.

DO VEGANS NEED TO TAKE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS?NHS Choices (19th Oct 2015)http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Vegetarianhealth/Pages/Vegetarianhealthqanda.aspx#supplements

Summary: mainly answers questions regarding health concerns surrounding veganism, mostly about vitamins and if sustaining a healthy diet is possible. The article also describes some of the health benefits, as well as providing information on where nutrients and vitamins can be found naturally

Tags: Diet, Supplements, B12, Health Benefits, Quorn, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin D

Quotes:• "good planning and an understanding of what

makes up a healthy, balanced vegetarian and vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs to be healthy without the need for supplements"

• "some groups of the population who are advised to take vitamin supplements, regardless"

• "vegans [need to make sure they get] enough calcium, iron and vitamin B12"

• "amount of iron that adults need is about 8.7mg a day for men and about 14.8mg a day for women"

• "Adults need about 700 mg of calcium a day"• "The body also makes its own vitamin D when

exposed to sunshine. Bones get stronger when you use them and the best way to do this is through regular exercise."

• "Adults need about 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 a day"

• Sources of B12 e.g."yeast extract, such as Marmite"

Further research: I could look at the effects both positive and negative, veganism can have on your health, further look into what foods provide what nutrients and vitamins and also find out if this information is the same for everyone e.g. pregnant women and children 

IS VEGANISM HEALTHIER FOR YOU? Jamie Oliver (3 Nov 2014)http://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/vegan-diet-healthy/   Summary: this article provides basic

information from a registered nutritionist about how a vegan diet could be better for you, it also explains some of the ways in which it may be unhealthy for you providing a balanced argument for veganism. There is however some advice on how to ensure you keep a healthy diet and remain vegan.

Tags: Diet, Vitamin C, Saturated Fats, Ingredients, Nutrition, Healthy, Benefits, Dietary, Foods, Heart Disease

Quotes:• "it depends as much on what you eat as with any

other diet"• "A recent study indicated that the average vegan

diet is higher in vitamin C and fiber, and lower in saturated fat than one containing meat."

• "likely to contain a lot less saturated fat, which is related to increased cholesterol levels and increased risk of heart disease."

• "A vegan diet is naturally low in calcium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids."

• "Even if it’s vegan, it’s just as important to look at the ingredients list and the nutrition information to see how much fat, sugar and salt something contains."

Further research: I could find further information about the foods which provide the nutrients which the vegan diet lacks, I could also take a greater look at the nutritional benefits which a vegan diet could provide

WHAT ARE THE NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF BEING VEGAN?NursingDegree.net http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/    

Summary: this article provides a vast number of benefits provided through a vegan diet; including nutritional benefits. It also explains the reasons why and how it is a benefit to you.It also provides a bit of information about other benefits of veganism, such as environmental and animal benefits.

Tags: Health, Benefits, Nutrition, Disease Prevention, Physical Benefits, Diet, Environment

Quotes:• "The typical American diet not only consists of too much food, it also

relies on too much of unnecessary food products or toxins." List above of these things which veganism removes."

• "nutritional benefits come from a vegan diet full of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and soy products: Reduced saturated fats..."

• "Eating a healthy vegan diet has shown to prevent a number of diseases."

• "In addition to good nutrition and disease prevention, eating vegan also provides many physical benefits."

• "A vegan diet can be a much healthier way to eat."

Further research: I could look further into how the vegan diet helps with disease prevention. I could also research more of the non personal benefits of veganism such as how animals and the environment are affected.  

CAN YOU BE VEGAN AND HAVE ALLERGIES/ HEALTH ISSUES?Veganuaryhttps://veganuary.com/myths/surely-everybody-can-vegan-people-allergies-dislike-foods-beans-nuts-tofu/    Summary: explains how you can be vegan

whilst also having specific dietary requirements, as there is a vast range of vegan foods to choose from, it also emphasizes how like everyone, attention must be paid to what nutrients you are getting from your diet in order to avoid health issues, from lacking in certain nutrient groups. 

Tags: allergies, gluten free, nuts, ingredients, needs, requirements, variety, diets, soy-free, likes and dislikes, foods, nut-free, health issues

Quotes:• "Many vegans have individual requirements alongside their choice not to

eat animal products"• "Vegan food encapsulates a huge variety of different ingredients"• "the majority of people should be able to find foods they like with a little

experimentation!"• "there are gluten-free, nut-free and soy-free vegans"• "all vegans adapt what they eat around their own personal tastes and

needs"

Further research: I could further look into vegan foods which can be eaten to provide people with the correct nutrients but still avoid foods which they may be allergic to. I could also find out more about people who are vegan and have dietary requirements and how they deal, and cope with finding vegan foods to suit them

HOW DO YOU BECOME VEGAN FROM EATING MEAT?The Vegan Society https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/how-go-vegan  

Summary: provides advice on how to start the process of becoming vegan, gives places where info on vegan foods and restaurants can be found. Explains that the process is different for everyone and suggests some of the best ways to start the process of becoming vegan. Also puts emphasis on how ensuring a healthy balanced diet is important.

Tags: approaches, how to, benefits, reasons, own pace, goal, going vegan, changes, recipes, substitutes

Quotes:• "Keep your end goal in mind, but go at your own pace"• "going vegan not only takes getting used to, but it takes time to determine what

will work best for you. It's not a one size fits all experience and there are numerous approaches you can take."

• "Making small changes to your everyday meals is one of the easiest ways to increase the amount of plant-based foods in your diet. You could start by removing meat or dairy one day a week and go from there. Or you could try changing one meal at a time,"

• "Make sure you don't miss out on essential nutrients. "• "There are thousands of vegan recipes out there from every corner of the globe." • " It’s important you allow yourself time to learn about the various strands of

veganism"• "Keep reminding yourself of the reasons you've chosen a vegan lifestyle, and the

benefits you've felt since going vegan."

Further research: I could look at where the most similar to regular food, vegan food can be found in both stores and restaurants, and see how accessible this is I could ials try to find out which method of becoming vegan people found most successful, and weather they found it something easy to do

WHAT ELSE CAN’T VEGANS HAVE/ USE?Animal Equalityhttp://www.animalequality.net/veganism   

Summary: looks at the reasons why people are vegan and explains all of the products etc. That vegans can't use and explains the reasons behind this, provides information about the clothes, products, entertainment services and food which vegans don’t use as well as explaining why vegans may choose not to keep pets. 

Tags: clothing, entertainment, pets, experimentation, cosmetics, speciesism, cruelty, products 

Quotes:• "Discriminating against non-human animals or believing them to be inferior solely because they belong to a different species is known

as speciesism"• "All use of animals for food, clothing, entertainment, pets or experimentation involves utilizing animals against their will, and - in the vast

majority of cases - involves their suffering and deaths."• "Vegans do not wear or use clothes, shoes or furnishings made with the skins, hair or feathers of other animals, including fur, leather,

wool, feathers and silk."• "Vegans do not visit circuses with animals, zoos, safari parks, aquariums, horse races, or any other places where animals are kept for

the benefit of humans."• "Vegans generally support animal sanctuaries however, where the animals have been rescued from places of exploitation, as well as

wildlife rescue centers and wildlife reserves,"• "Vegans do not believe in the breeding of domesticated animals such as horses, dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, birds or fishes.

Domestication is not in the animals' best interests, as they are dependent on humans for everything that is important to them in their lives."

• "Vegans do rescue and adopt abandoned animals however, seeing them as refugees deserving of care while they are in this world, but they do not perpetuate the institution of 'pet' ownership."

• "Vegans do not buy cosmetics or household products that have been tested on animals, instead choosing cruelty-free and vegan products."

Further research: I could look further at how vegans see the use of products which test on animals such as drugs, and also look further into if vegans agree with all of these principles, particularly regarding keeping pets

CAN VEGANS TAKE DRUGS WHICH HAVE BEEN TESTED ON ANIMALS?The Vegan Societyhttps://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/medicines 

Summary: explains how it is unreasonable for vegans to refuse to take drugs tested on animals on all occasions as it could cause them to worsen their condition and perhaps cause a serious risk to their health, it also explains that there are however some alternatives available for a number of drugs which contain animal products such as gelatin. 

Tags: drugs, animal testing, safety tests, ingredients, gelatin, lactose, stearates

Quotes:• "Vegans avoid using animals 'as far as is practicable and

possible'."• "medicines have to pass safety tests before they can be

prescribed, and these tests are routinely carried out on non-human animals."

• "you may currently have no practical alternative to taking such prescribed medicines."

• "possible alternative medicines your doctor can prescribe that are free of animal ingredients such as gelatin, lactose or stearates."

• " Dr Hadwen Trust are working hard to end the use of nonhuman animals in safety testing. "

• " with your doctor, decide what is best for your own health."

• "Never stop taking prescribed medicines without first talking to a medical professional."

Further research: I could look in greater detail into the research being carried out in this area and weather animal testing can ever be put to a stop, and the implications of this.

WHAT IS IT THAT VEGANS WANT TO STOP REGARDING ANIMAL ABUSE?Veganuaryhttps://veganuary.com/why/animals/    Summary: provides a lot of detail about how specific animals

they interact in their social groups, and then explains how the animals are exploited within the meat, dairy and egg industries. This therefore provides you with a good understanding of how the treatment of the animals is unjust.

Tags: stress, mass production, factory farming, well-being, cows, chickens, crushed, pigs, fish, abuse, suffering

Quotes:• "Like us, they can feel calm or they can suffer from stress. The mass production of

animals...cares little for their well-being, and causes them to suffer in innumerable ways."

• "worst culprits are the dairy and egg industries."• "over 900 million chickens were slaughtered in the UK during 2013 (Defra 2014)...

millions of male chicks who are gassed or crushed to death simply because they can’t lay eggs for the industry to sell."

• "To ensure a constant supply of milk, a cow will suffer this same process of pregnancy, and separation several times in her life."

• "raised on factory farms. Fish are packed into unnatural small enclosures where overcrowded conditions cause a third of them to die from disease."

• "During the slaughter process, pigs are stunned then shackled and hoisted upside down by their back legs. Their throats are then slit. A study of slaughterhouses in the UK, over a three year period, found that the stunning of pigs was often ineffective"

Further research: I could find out more about how veganism is helping to prevent these practices and also what will happen to the animals in the industries if veganism manages to stop this kind of production

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT?Veganuaryhttps://veganuary.com/why/environment/ 

Summary: this article explains the effects which the farming industry has on the environment, therefore showing how veganism can prevent a number of issues such as global warming, water waste and pollution, and therefore adding to the number of benefits of having a vegan diet 

Tags: environment, energy efficient, water, waste, fossil fuel, deforestation, emissions, effects

Quotes:• "Eating vegan food is more energy-efficient and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than

raising animals to consume."• "If you eat meat, your greenhouse gas emissions can be twice that of those eating only vegan food."• "Unlike the majority of vegan foods, to raise animals to eat requires vast amounts of water."• " the United Nations describes animal agriculture as having ‘an enormous impact on water use’."• "Agricultural scientists estimate that eating meat requires four-and-a-half times more land than is

necessary for a vegan diet. The earth’s rainforests and other precious natural areas are being destroyed to provide this space."

• "Poor or improperly managed animal waste is polluting our air and waterways."• "This explains why scientists at Cornell University found that to produce one calorie of food energy

from beef requires 40 calories of fossil fuel energy. In comparison,"• "…eating a typical steak for a family of four is the equivalent, energy-wise, of driving around in an

SUV for three hours – while leaving all the lights on at home!"

Further research: I could look at other effects the vegan diet may have on the environment such as how the production of plant based food effects it and see if it is still overall an environmentally better alternative.

VEGANISM INFO-GRAPHICS

VEGANISM INFO-GRAPHICS

All these infographic posters provide a lot of useful information about veganism in a visually interesting way, the colour green is used a lot in most of these posters to emphasize that veganism is a healthy lifestyle. Although there is a lot of helpful information on these posters, it would be unwise to simply use the information in my own work as I do not know where the producers of the posters have got their information from and therefore if it comes from a valid and correct source. 

Tags: infographics, facts, stats, graphics, visual, information, posters

SOURCE VALIDATIONThe Vegan Society: the information from this source is valid as it is a well known informative vegan website, who check the accuracy of the information which they provide before they publish it. Being a specific vegan website they are also going to be well informed about this area and know all of the correct necessary information.  BBC Good Food: the information by this source is almost definitely valid as it is a large well known media outlet, where the information they provide must be factually accurate, a company of this size will have a specific group of people who are employed to specifically check the accuracy of the information which they wish to publish, and ensure that the information being produced is valid.   

NHS Choices: I believe this source to be valid as it comes from a well known health service, where information which they will be providing will be backed up by medical research, therefore ensuring that all the information provided is correct. The information provided here will also definitely be correct as it comes from an unbiased source.

Jamie Oliver Site: the information provided on the areas I researched from this research are said to come from a registered nutritionist, meaning that the source of the information must have academic knowledge in this area, however there is no proof that the information from this website is definitely factually accurate, even thought the information provided is definitely from an informed source. 

NursingDegree.net: although the information from this website appears to come from a medical source, it is not actually coming from a medical company rather just an independent source of medical information, although the information is most likely to be valid as it is coming from a medically informed source, it is not definite that the information is correct it is not coming from a well known source. 

Veganuary: the information from this website is definitely valid as the owners of the website check all the information which they have gathered to put on their website has come from a valid sources and that the statements which are made have evidence to back them up

Animal Equality: the information from this website may come from a valid source however, this is not definite as there is no information as to where it has come from or whether it has been checked, it is also not a well known website and therefore yet again unknown weather the information provided is checked and valid. However as an informative website the information provided is most likely to come from a valid source rather than just being someone's opinion.