Many individuals are transitioning to a vegetarian diet. This is mainly because more and more people are learning about the bad conditions animals suffer in slaughterhouses. I think that this is a negative development that would lead to nutritional deficiencies.
A large number of people are learning about animal abuse at meat-processing plants because of social media. Due to ease of access and global connectivity, many are witnessing videos of animal harm, which in turn makes them refrain from consuming meat-based products. For example, recent surveys have shown that the number of people making the change doubled after 2010, when social media became the mainstream means of communication.
I believe that this is a downturn, as shifting to a plant-centered diet will lead to a lack of vital nutrients. As meat contains essential and easily digestible proteins, avoiding them entirely would cause more harm than good. Also, since most plant-only products in the markets use artificial processing methods, they do contain harmful chemicals. For instance, a couple of well-known influencers who were promoting vegan diets have died in their mid-thirties due to extreme malnutrition.
In conclusion, although more and more people are making the change to a plant-only diet, I am under the firm belief that it is a negative development.