I. Thesis and definitionThe purpose of this article is to investigate the trend of vegetarianism and its constant increase in popularity in the United States, the possible causes behind the existence of this trend, its effects on our society in general and on the practicing population and and finally, the future of vegetarianism. For the purposes of this article vegetarianism is described as a plant-based diet (fruits, vegetables, etc.), although the most important factor is the total exclusion of meat, excluding fish for most practitioners. While there are numerous sublevels of this lifestyle, including veganism (abstaining from the use of all animal products) and semi-vegetarianism (a person who reduces meat consumption), this study will focus primarily on lacto-ovo -vegetarianism (excluding all meat and fish, but containing eggs and dairy products).II. Evidence of the trend Despite the fact that the vegetarian lifestyle has been around since approximately the 6th century BC, it is a relatively new practice in the United States, having gained considerable popularity during the “health craze” of the 1970s and early 1970s. 80. Since the 1971 publication of Frances Moore Lappe's bestselling Diet for a Small Planet on “meat-free high-protein cuisine,” vegetarianism has steadily earned a reputation as a healthy and ethical alternative to meat consumption. The moral argument for vegetarianism was introduced with the publication of Australian ethics professor Peter Singer's book Animal Liberation to American readers. Hot on the heels of the uproar caused by Singer's cry for human-animal equality came the creation of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, in 1975. From PETA's conception, the organization has called for equality and increased ...... middle of paper ......iets" Eatright.org. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009. Web. January 15, 2012. Rohrer, Finlo. "The Rise of the Non-Veggie Vegetarian " BBC News. BBC News, 5 November 2009. Web. 9 January 2012. Segelken, Roger. "US could feed 800 million people with grain that livestock eat, advises animal scientists that future water shortages and energy will change the face of American agriculture." .cornell.edu. Cornell University, 7 August 1997. Web. 17 January 2012. Singer, Peter Animal Liberation, New York Review of, 1990. Print "Vegetarianism in America" ​​​​" Vegetarian Times. Vegetarian Times Magazine, 2009. Web. January 15, 2012. "Veggie Tales" Time.com. Time magazine, 2002. Web. January 10, 2012. Whorton, James C. “Historical Development of Vegetarianism” Ajcn.org. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1994. Web. 6 January. 2012.