The Vegan Society spotlights plant-based lifestyles in Olympic Games

09 Aug 2021 --- A survey from The Vegan Society reveals how UK consumers are coupling animal-free products with fitness regimens. Additionally, 56 percent say they’ve seen an improvement to their digestion, 55 percent feel their sleep has improved and 53 percent feel like they have more energy.

“I know that going vegan helped me run further, cycle faster and recover quicker too. I want people to realize how good it can make you feel – how you feel getting the right nutrients, but also knowing you haven’t caused animal pain,” says Lisa Gawthorne, a vegan duathlon athlete who represented Team Great Britain (GB).

The Vegan Society highlights that this year’s Olympic Games featured several international vegan athletes, including Team GB’s rugby player Dan Bibby and boxer Cheavon Clarke. In fact, more than two-thirds of Team GB recently stated they’ve actively reduced their meat consumption, according to the organization. 

At the start of the Olympics, however, industry experts highlighted the role that ingredients like whey protein can have at an elite level. 

Living active lifestyles
The Vegan Society’s latest survey includes 500 members of the public who have gone vegan since the last Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Reasons for going vegan included improving digestion and increasing energy levels. The vast majority (98 percent) say they take part in a physical activity at least once a week. Walking takes the top spot, with 69 percent saying they enjoy walking activities such as long-distance hiking. Taking the dog out while jogging and running also proved popular, with 62 percent saying they do this at least once a week. 

Fifty-three percent say they go swimming, while 52 percent enjoy regular cycling and 43 percent do high-intensity interval training or other cardio. Other sports include yoga or pilates (42 percent), basketball and football (41 percent), weightlifting (33 percent), combat sport (30 percent) and dancing (30 percent). 

Many respondents also say that their fitness levels have improved since going vegan. More than half are able to walk or run better or further. Interestingly, 34 percent say they had a shorter recovery time between their chosen exercise sessions, and 31 percent say they were able to lift heavier weights.

Veganism to ward off illnesses?
According to The Vegan Society, the three primary motivations for people adopting a vegan diet are for animals, personal health and the environment. 

However, according to the survey, 46 percent of respondents went vegan to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables, 44 percent wanted to improve digestion and reduce bloating and 41 percent wanted to increase their energy levels.

Additionally, 39 percent went vegan to reduce their risk of developing a specific illness such as diabetes – with more men (47 percent) than women (32 percent) stating this as an influencing factor. Thirty-eight percent of men and 22 percent of women said a doctor or health care professional recommended the vegan diet.

Last week, two studies revealed that the consumption of plant-based foods can boost heart health. Meanwhile, researchers recently found that fermenting pea and rice dairy alternatives with probiotic strains can yield higher quality protein that is more digestible.

Edited by Katherine Durrell