Food choice can be a way for people to express their ideals and identities. In particular, for those who identify as vegetarian, this label is more than just a set of dietary preferences. Choosing to follow a plant-based diet shapes one’s personal and social identity and is likely to influence a person’s values, attitudes, beliefs, and well-being. The available data suggest that vegetarians are more pro-social than omnivores and tend to have more liberal political views. Nevertheless, vegetarians do not appear to be as well-adjusted as omnivores, which may be the result of their status as a social minority. Despite the attention vegetarianism has received, more research is needed to understand the antecedents, correlates, consequences, and socio-cultural contexts of vegetarianism.

选择食物可以成为人们表达理想和身份的一种方式。特别是，对于那些标识为素食主义者的人来说，这个标签不仅仅是一组饮食上的偏爱。选择遵循以植物为基础的饮食会影响一个人的个人和社会身份，并且很可能影响一个人的价值观，态度，信仰和幸福感。现有数据表明，素食主义者比杂食者更亲社会，并倾向于具有更自由的政治观点。然而，素食者似乎没有杂食者适应得当，这可能是由于他们是社会少数群体的地位所致。尽管素食主义受到了关注，但仍需要更多的研究来了解素食主义的前因，关联，后果和社会文化背景。