The line graph reveals the percentage of UK adolescents following a vegetarian diet over the years between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, the proportion increased significantly in the early years, reached its peak around 1980 and then finally increased again toward the end of the period.
In 1960, only about 2% of teenagers were vegetarians. During the next two decades, this figure rose steadily, reaching a peak at about 15% in 1980. After reaching this peak, the percentage fell sharply, standing at around 6% at the beginning of the 1990s.
From the middle of the 1990s to 2020, the trend became more stable. Although minor fluctuations occurred, the proportion generally rose again. By 2010, it had climbed to about 12% and continued growing at a slow pace, ending the period at around 13% by the year 2020.
In conclusion, the data illustrate that vegetarianism among UK adolescents rapidly grew between 1960 and 1980, then strongly declined and through the course of the following decades gradually recovered.