Vegan Statistics 2026: How Many Are Vegan
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Vegan Statistics 2026: How Many Are Vegan
Around 88 million people worldwide identify as vegan in 2026 - roughly 1.1% of the global population. In the United States, between 2% and 4% of adults follow a vegan diet, and the number of Americans going vegan has risen by more than 3,000% over the past 15 years. The global vegan food market was valued at $22.14 billion in 2025 and is on track to nearly double by 2033. Plant-based diets are associated with a 15% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk, and a 2025 University of Illinois study confirmed that plant protein builds muscle just as effectively as animal protein when total intake is adequate.
Veganism has moved from a niche lifestyle choice into a mainstream nutrition strategy embraced by millions of athletes, gym-goers, and health-conscious people. The science on plant-based eating and physical performance has also matured rapidly - particularly for lifters tracking protein targets. Understanding the numbers behind veganism helps anyone - meat-eater or not - make smarter decisions about fuelling their training.
This post compiles 16 real, sourced statistics on vegan population size, diet and performance research, market trends, and health outcomes. The data covers 2023-2026 and is sourced from peer-reviewed journals, government bodies, and major market research firms.
1. About 88 Million People Worldwide Identify as Vegan in 2026
Roughly 88 million people around the world identify as vegan, representing approximately 1.1% of the global population of over 8.3 billion. Estimates vary across research firms - some place the figure closer to 79 million - but all agree the number has grown dramatically from single-digit millions in the early 2010s. Growth has been fastest in urban centres across Europe, North America, and South and Southeast Asia. For perspective, that is more than the entire population of Germany opting out of animal products entirely. The rise reflects a cultural shift driven by animal welfare concerns, environmental awareness, and growing evidence linking plant-heavy diets to better metabolic health outcomes.
Source: World Animal Foundation - How Many Vegans Are In The World In 2026
2. The Number of Americans Going Vegan Has Grown Over 3,000% in 15 Years
Vegan adoption in the United States has grown by more than 3,000% over the past 15 years. Current surveys place between 2% and 4% of American adults on a fully vegan diet - roughly 6.5 to 13 million people. The gap in estimates reflects methodological differences: surveys that ask people to self-identify produce lower numbers, while surveys defining veganism by reported food intake often produce higher ones. Either way, the directional trend is unmistakable. Millennials and Gen Z account for a disproportionate share of this growth, and women outnumber men by roughly 3 to 1 among self-identified vegans. States with the highest concentrations include Oregon, California, Vermont, and Washington.
Source: World Animal Foundation - How Many Vegans Are In The US In 2026
3. 25.8 Million People Tried Veganism in Veganuary 2025
In January 2025, approximately 25.8 million people globally participated in Veganuary - the annual campaign encouraging a month of plant-based eating. That number came from YouGov surveys across 11 countries and represented a 35% increase over the 2024 campaign. Participants spanned 228 countries and territories. Notably, 45% of participants still ate meat or fish when they signed up, showing that Veganuary primarily draws curious non-vegans rather than people already committed to the diet. The event has become one of the best real-world measures of growing public interest in plant-based eating and is a strong leading indicator for broader vegan adoption trends.
Source: Veganuary - Veganuary Celebrates 25.8 Million Global Participants in 2025
4. 81% of Veganuary 2025 Participants Plan a Permanent Diet Change
After completing Veganuary 2025, 81% of participants reported they plan to make significant, permanent changes to their diet. Around 31% said they intend to stay fully plant-based, while 72% said they plan to at least halve their intake of animal products. Only 45% reported visible health improvements during the month, but 98% said they would recommend the challenge to a friend. A six-month follow-up found that 58% of participants who stayed fully vegan experienced improved mood compared with their pre-Veganuary baseline. These commitment rates suggest that a trial month of plant-based eating converts a meaningful portion of participants into long-term diet changers.
Source: Veganuary - 81% of Veganuary 2025 Participants Plan Significant Diet Change
5. The Global Vegan Food Market Was $22.14 Billion in 2025
The global vegan food market reached $22.14 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5% from 2026 to 2033, reaching $52.56 billion. North America led all regions with a 36.8% market share in 2025. The vegan meat and seafood segment was the largest product category, accounting for 36.9% of total market value. The offline retail channel (supermarkets, health food shops, and specialty grocers) dominated distribution with an 83.5% share. This market expansion mirrors the growth in people identifying as vegan and reflects rising mainstream availability of plant-based options across virtually every food category.
Source: Grand View Research - Vegan Food Market Size And Share
6. Plant-Based Diets Cut Cardiovascular Disease Risk by 15%
A 2024 literature review published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology examined 21 systematic reviews published between 2018 and March 2024. Researchers found that people following vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns had a 15% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence. Broader meta-analyses have found even larger effects for specific outcomes: a 29% reduced risk for cardiovascular disease overall and a 32% reduction in ischemic heart disease mortality. The mechanisms likely involve lower LDL cholesterol, reduced blood pressure, lower BMI, and reduced systemic inflammation - all of which are consistently measured as lower in vegans compared with omnivores.
Source: UC Irvine Public Health - A Vegetarian and Vegan Diet Really Does Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk
7. Vegan Diets Reduce Body Weight by an Average of 2.52 kg in Controlled Trials
Randomized controlled trials consistently show that switching to a vegan diet produces meaningful weight loss. A meta-analysis of RCTs found that vegan diet participants lost an average of 2.52 kg more than control groups. A more recent meta-analysis covering studies from 2013 to 2024 found even larger reductions in individuals with metabolic syndrome - up to 10.37 kg - alongside a 2.68 kg/m2 drop in BMI. Vegans also show significantly lower waist circumference, averaging 4.67 cm smaller than regular meat eaters. For athletes and lifters tracking body composition, a plant-heavy approach can be a useful tool for managing weight without deliberate calorie restriction, as high fibre intake tends to reduce overall energy intake naturally.
8. Plant Protein Builds Muscle as Well as Animal Protein When Intake Is Adequate
A 2025 study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found no significant difference in muscle protein synthesis between people consuming vegan protein and those consuming animal protein during resistance training - provided total protein intake was in the range of 1.1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, distributed evenly across meals. Lead researcher Nicholas Burd noted the results surprised his team, who had expected animal protein to outperform. This study is relevant for any lifter tracking macros: plant-based protein sources can support hypertrophy just as effectively as meat or dairy when total daily intake targets are met. For more on how protein targets compare across diet types, see the protein intake statistics breakdown.
Source: ScienceDaily - Omnivorous? Vegan? Makes no difference to muscle building after weight training
9. Plant-Based Diets Show a Positive Effect on Aerobic Performance
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition examined ten studies with 36 trials and 293 subjects and found that plant-based diets had a moderate positive effect on aerobic performance while showing no negative effect on strength or power. VO2 improvements were observed in physically active vegans of both sexes during aerobic performance tests. The researchers concluded that plant-based diets do not compromise strength or power output. Endurance athletes may gain the most benefit due to the higher carbohydrate availability typical of plant-heavy diets, which supports sustained energy output during prolonged sessions. The evidence is particularly encouraging for runners, cyclists, and anyone doing conditioning work alongside their strength training.
10. 52% of Vegans Are Vitamin B12 Deficient Without Supplementation
Data from the EPIC-Oxford cohort study found that 52% of vegans had serum vitamin B12 levels below the threshold for deficiency (118 pmol/L), and a further 21% had low-but-not-deficient levels. Vegans consumed an average of only 0.43 micrograms of B12 per day from food, compared to 2.14 micrograms for omnivores - well below the 2.4 microgram daily recommended intake. B12 deficiency impairs red blood cell formation and neurological function, which can negatively affect energy levels and training performance over time. The fix is straightforward: regular B12 supplementation or consumption of B12-fortified foods. Vegan athletes who track their nutrition carefully and supplement properly can fully close this gap, but it requires deliberate planning.
Source: PMC - Nutritional Considerations for the Vegan Athlete
11. Vegan Diets Reduce the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer by 29%
A meta-analysis published in PMC examined 3,059,009 subjects and found that plant-based diets were associated with a 29% reduction in pancreatic cancer risk, a 24% reduction in colorectal cancer risk, and a 12% reduction in colon cancer risk. A large pooled analysis published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2025 followed 1.8 million people across nine prospective cohorts on three continents for a median of 16 years and found that vegans consistently showed the lowest rates of several cancer types compared to all other dietary groups. The protective mechanisms likely include lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), reduced obesity, higher fibre intake, and lower consumption of processed meats, which are classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization.
Source: PMC - The Relationship Between Plant-Based Diet and Risk of Digestive System Cancers
12. A Vegan Diet Cuts Daily Carbon Emissions by 46% Compared to Omnivore Diets
Research published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that a vegan diet reduces daily greenhouse gas emissions from 3.8 kg CO2 equivalent (omnivore baseline) to 2.1 kg - a 46% reduction. Agricultural land use fell by 33% and water use dropped by 7%. A broader analysis found reductions of up to 51% in carbon footprint when compared to high-meat diets. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization estimates livestock farming contributes around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts who care about both performance and sustainability, a plant-based or plant-forward diet offers one of the highest-impact individual actions available to reduce environmental footprint without sacrificing training capacity.
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition - Vegan Diet Can Halve Your Carbon Footprint
13. India and Mexico Lead the World in Vegan Population Share at 9% Each
India has the highest proportion of vegans of any country at approximately 9% of its population, tied with Mexico at 9%. Israel follows at nearly 5%, Canada at 4.6%, and Ireland at 4.1%. In the United Kingdom, an estimated 3.1% of adults are already vegan and another 3.2% plan to start in 2026, totalling approximately 3.5 million people following or planning a vegan diet. The UK saw its vegan population rise by approximately 1.1 million between 2023 and 2024 alone. These regional differences reflect cultural, religious, and economic factors - India's high rate is partly driven by long-standing vegetarian and religious dietary traditions that make veganism a relatively small additional step.
Source: World Population Review - Veganism by Country 2026
14. Animal Welfare Is the Top Motivation for Going Vegan, Cited by 47% of People
According to the Veganuary 2025 participant survey, 47% of people cited animal welfare as their primary motivation for trying a vegan diet. Health came second at 20% and environmental concerns third at 14%. In broader surveys of committed vegans rather than trial participants, the rankings shift: a survey of 8,500 respondents found 64% listed the environment as a motivating factor and 53% listed health. The disparity likely reflects the difference between people exploring veganism for the first time versus long-term vegans who have developed multiple reinforcing motivations over time. For gym-goers and athletes, health is typically the bridge motivation - performance and body composition goals drive initial interest, which then expands into broader ethical and environmental awareness.
Source: Veganuary - 81% of Veganuary 2025 Participants Plan Significant Diet Change
15. US Plant-Based Meat Sales Dropped 7% to $1.2 Billion in 2024
US retail sales of plant-based meat and seafood fell 7% in dollar terms to $1.2 billion in 2024, with unit sales declining 11%. Refrigerated plant-based burgers dropped 26% year-over-year. The broader US retail plant-based food market was worth $7.9 billion in 2025, with units down 3% and dollars down 2% from 2024. By contrast, conventional fresh meat sales rose 6% in the same period. Investment in plant-based meat startups also fell 64% in 2024, from $854 million to $309 million. This cooling does not reflect declining veganism but rather a correction in an overhyped product category - many consumers who tried ultra-processed plant-based burgers returned to whole-food plant sources like legumes, tofu, and tempeh instead.
Source: AgFunder News - Plant-Based Meat By Numbers
16. Vegan Diets Are Associated with Improved HbA1c and Reduced Diabetes Risk
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Advances in Nutrition examined the evidence on vegetarian and vegan diets in the management of type 2 diabetes. The analysis found that plant-based dietary patterns significantly improved glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) - a key marker of long-term blood glucose control - and reduced BMI in people with type 2 diabetes. People following plant-based diets were also less likely to develop type 2 diabetes in the first place, even after adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. For active people who track nutrition carefully, the data reinforces that high-fibre, low-glycaemic plant foods create a metabolic environment that supports sustained energy levels and body composition management, both of which matter for consistent training performance.
What the Data Reveals About Veganism and Fitness in 2026
The numbers tell a clear story: veganism is growing rapidly, the science on plant-based performance has matured, and the old assumption that meat is essential for muscle is no longer supported by controlled research. Three decades of association studies and, now, rigorous RCTs confirm that people who eat primarily whole plant foods carry lower body weight, lower cardiovascular risk, and comparable or better aerobic capacity compared to omnivore peers - without any compromise to strength or hypertrophy when protein targets are met.
The most important caveat in all this research is the word "adequate." Plant protein builds muscle as well as animal protein, but only when total intake is sufficient and spread across the day. The muscle-building statistics on muscle building statistics and protein intake statistics make clear that hitting daily protein targets - typically 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight for resistance-trained individuals - is what matters most, regardless of whether the protein comes from chicken or chickpeas.
The declining sales of ultra-processed plant-based burgers alongside rising vegan population numbers suggest the movement is maturing. People are shifting from novelty products toward whole-food plant sources, which are cheaper, more nutritious, and better supported by the evidence. The nutrients to monitor - B12, iron, creatine, and calcium - are all manageable with supplementation and planning.
The evidence is now strong enough to say that a well-planned vegan diet supports muscle growth, aerobic performance, and long-term metabolic health, but the "well-planned" part requires consistent tracking of protein, micronutrients, and overall calorie intake.
Tracking Your Nutrition and Training as a Vegan Lifter
Whether you are fully vegan, plant-forward, or simply trying to hit higher protein targets from plant sources, the gap between "having a plan" and "following through on it" usually comes down to friction. Logging every meal and every set manually in separate apps creates the kind of overhead that derails consistency over weeks and months.
Gainwise connects your training and your nutrition goals in one place. Log your sets with hands-free voice logging ("three sets of ten at 185"), track progressive overload and estimated 1RM, and let the AI coach adapt your programme to your goals and available equipment - whether that is a commercial gym or a home setup with resistance bands and dumbbells. Your full training history stays safe and exportable, so you never lose a session.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are vegan worldwide in 2026?
Approximately 88 million people worldwide identify as vegan in 2026, representing around 1.1% of the global population. Estimates vary between research organisations, with some placing the figure closer to 79 million, but all sources agree the number has risen sharply from single-digit millions in the early 2010s.
Can vegans build as much muscle as meat eaters?
Yes, according to a 2025 study from the University of Illinois published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, there is no significant difference in muscle protein synthesis between vegan and omnivore athletes when total protein intake is adequate - around 1.1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, distributed evenly across meals. Plant protein sources can fully support hypertrophy when total daily targets are met.
What percentage of Americans are vegan?
Between 2% and 4% of American adults identify as vegan, equating to roughly 6.5 to 13 million people depending on the survey methodology. The number of Americans adopting a vegan diet has grown by more than 3,000% over the past 15 years, with the highest concentrations in Oregon, California, Vermont, and Washington.
What nutrients do vegan athletes need to monitor?
The main nutrients requiring attention for vegan athletes are vitamin B12 (52% of vegans are deficient without supplementation), iron (plant-based non-haem iron is less bioavailable than haem iron), creatine, calcium, and vitamin D. All of these gaps are manageable through targeted supplementation and careful food selection, and a well-planned vegan diet can fully meet an athlete's nutritional needs.
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