How many people become vegetarians without doing their research?

Before I was allowed to become a veggie my mom made me read up on it and learn to cook my own foods. I've been veggie since I was 13yo. I'm 21 now.

I think many people become vegetarian, and then do most of their research. Honestly, how many people, vegetarian or omnivore know about proper nutrition before research? If you ask most people(even adults), what amount of iron/b6/etc they need per day and what are ways of getting these nutrients, most would not be able to tell you exactly.

Children do not know how to eat properly. I think parents should have their children learn about nutrition(omnivore and vegetarian). When I was 13, I remember living off of McDonalds Chicken nuggets, bbq chicken, etc. and the only vegetable I would touch was corn or carrots. So to be honest, children are not knowledgeable about what they should be eating to stay healthy. Too many people think, just b/c there is meat in the diet, than it is complete and healthy.

Healthy diet is an important thing, more people should put effort into knowing how to construct a proper diet. If a person is an omnivore and knows about proper nutrition, then becoming a vegetarian should not be that difficult or need all that much research. A persons diet should mainly consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. and even people that eat meat should only be eating two or three servings(as per the recommended serving suggestion) per week(which means the rest should be vegetarian meals, or meals with very little meat). The fact is that most people do not know what they should be eating and in what amounts.

What it really comes down to, is that most people do not eat properly or know that much about nutrition before becoming vegetarian, and therefore it seems as if a lot of research needs to be done when they cut out meat. Everyone should research how to properly plan their diet and know where and how to get the nutrients they need.

My smart *** answer is that all people who date vegetarian girls become vegetarians without doing the research. But, my real answer is that probably most people don't 'research' it really. Most probably just eat Indian and Italian for a bit and then expand their diets.
I was 17 when I became Veggie... I only began eating meat when I was pregnant the third time. I was 35 years old then. I quit again soon after he was born. Weird. I never craved it before or since.
For me, I became vegetarian because of the ick factor in eating dead animals. When we eat veggies and grains, they stay the same, even alive for a while. Meat degrades almost immediately, and that is simply ickky to me, did not seem like I should eat that.
Thanks,
Janet

Most vegetarians/vegans in the world are born vegetarians, therefore likely do no research at all. Such as in India where vegetarianism is as old as history. You will notice they are also tall, strong, hard working, etc. and do not take vitamins or worry about soy or this or that nutrient or B12, or whatever...

No one under legal age should be allowed to be vegan/veggie without parental supervision. Regular teenagers eat an awful diet, vegan/veggies more so.

I would say that 85% of people go veggie without doing research. They go by what a friend says, or what sounds right. After gaining weight, breaking out and looking 3 weeks dead, they purchase nutrition and cook books.

I wish we could pass a law, but alas. We all seem to have to learn the hard way.

idk. i didnt know ppl did research before changing. ive been (w/e you call it when u only consume eggs/milk) for somewhere between 1 & 2 yr.s. i never did any research. if its usually the research that causes someone to change, then its not the health benefits that changed me, its the decision to stop eating murdered animals just to fill me up for a measly few hr.s. (theyre dead forever, im temporarily full). i hope this aint a mean way of putting it, its just the way i see it.

edit: i posted a q. a little while ago to find out what the heck it is that i am, so now i can tell u for sure that im ovo-lacto vegetarian.

I became a vegetarian without doing any research. It wasn't a planned thing. I was sitting at home alone one night while my husband was out with the kids.

I stumbled upon an online movie called "Meet Your Meet". That was it for me. I never ate another animal product except once in a while by accident in the beginning.

It was a hard road. I spent weeks sick and dizzy, my ears were ringing and my vision was off. I was living on kashi and soymilk.

Then I discovered a healthier way to like. I eat a really nutritious, well balanced diet now and I feel GREAT! I have never felt better!

That's what my mom said too. By what I see on this YA v/v a lot of people start eating vegetarian because they watched a PATA video, but they never researched how to eat a ballanced vegetarian diet.

Probably most of them that change don't read anything on it.