Prevalence of Vegetarianism among Female University Students, Comparison of Dietary Habits of Vegetarians and Omnivores

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vegetarians and to reveal differences between the nutritional habits of female vegetarian and omnivore university students. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study data were collected through surveys that included sociodemographic characteristics, questions regarding vegetarianism, and a food frequency questionnaire. Results: The participants consisted of 2127 female university students between the ages of 18-24. Of these participants, 5% followed a vegetarian diet, and of these, 2.8% were vegetarian by choice. Among the vegetarians, 56% were aware of following a vegetarian diet. The majority of the vegetarians (72.9%) consisted of semi-vegetarians. Of the nutritional supplements, the uses of vitamin B12, vitamin C, and protein powder was significantly higher in the vegetarian group than in the omnivore group (p