Vegetarianism has been around for a long time. It has roots in ancient India and Greece.
I have some friends that eat that way, but I don't think I ever could.  I really love my steak and seafood!
I don't think I could do it either, although sometimes I wish I could. I think non-consumption of the flesh of any animals is an admirable diet. 
Yes, I can see that it could be considered admirable for some people.  Does it pose any health benefits or risks?
Not that I know of but possibly. Many become vegetarians for health-related reasons, so it has benefits.
I guess all the fiber from the veggies and fruits and such would be a good thing.  Do people do it for other reasons than to save animals?
aesthetic, economic, or personal preference. There are variations of the diet as well: an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy products, an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs but not dairy products, and a lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products but not eggs. A strict vegetarian diet – referred to as "vegan" – excludes all animal products, including eggs and dairy. Avoidance of animal products may require dietary supplements to prevent deficiencies such as vitamin B12 deficiency, which leads to pernicious anemia.
a photographic memory as a child. School tests were not a problem, and learning songs was easy. She got her first taste of singing solo at a fire hall, where she soaked up the crowd's appreciation. "Sometimes I think that I cheated my own family and my closest friends by giving to audiences so much of the love I might have kept for them. But that's the way I was made; I truly don't think I could help it." (p. 20) Martin's craft