College students choose to follow a vegetarian diet for a variety of reasons including ethical, cultural, health, and economic reasons. Vegetarian diets can be very healthful and vegetarians typically exhibit lower incidences of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Vegetarian diets are plant based and can be maintained whether you are:

• Vegan: consume no animal products

• Lacto-ovo vegetarian: consume eggs and dairy products

• Pescatarian: consume only fish

• A combination of these

Armed with knowledge and careful planning athletes, and those with additional nutritional needs can stay well on a plant based diet.