I think that, for a majority of vegetarians, there are religious/philosophical/ethical principles at play. There are just too many Hindus and Buddhists out ther

I think that, for a majority of vegetarians, there are religious/philosophical/ethical principles at play. There are just too many Hindus and Buddhists out there for other motivations to catch up. However, it's far from the only reason someone would stop eating meat. For instance, I eat relatively little meat for an American for a combination of health reasons and personal taste (I have a hard time eating anything with a bone). This isn't a hard rule of mine, but if I have the option to eat tofu at a restaurant instead of chicken, I take the tofu 100% of the time. To distinguish this softer motivation from the religious group, I call myself a "meat reductionist". My wife doesn't feel this way, so at home we eat a bit more meat than I'd like, and when I go out with friends I try not to make a big deal if someone wants pepperoni pizza, for instance. If it's just a personal choice, though, I'm going for veggies.