Veganism is the dietary and lifestyle choice most consistently associated with reduced animal use, but its welfare impact depends heavily on how it is practiced and what food systems it supports.
Veganism eliminates the most numerically significant direct harm to animals: the raising and slaughter of tens of billions of farm animals annually. At the same time, no diet is entirely welfare-neutral — crop production involves some wildlife mortality and habitat displacement. The net welfare comparison strongly favors plant-based diets in most analyses. Incremental reduction in animal product consumption by non-vegans may also produce significant aggregate welfare improvements.