Vegetarians more prone to mental health issues

[donquixotedelamancha]

www.psypost.org/2020/05/meat-eaters-tend-to-have-better-psychological-health-than-vegetarians-56698

An interesting meta-study here assessing a number of other studies to conclude there is “clear evidence” that those who abstained from consuming meat tended to have higher rates or risk of depression, anxiety, and self-harm compared to those who did not.

No indication whether it's lack of meat making people unwell, mental health problems causing a susceptibility to vegetarianism, or some common cause for both.

Possibly because they're more sensitive individuals to begin with.The meat industry is usually behind most of these reports.

OK, what do you think you're being unreasonable about?

Correlation is not causation

The meat industry is usually behind most of these reports.

It's a sample size of over 150k across several studies. This was not a hypothesis anyone thought of and then tried to test, it's emerged from existing data.

I think it's unlikely to be a conspiracy by big meat.

Correlation is not causation

Very true. I was just thinking I should have added that. Still a strong correlation like this is suggestive- worth looking for a mechanism or common cause

OK, what do you think you're being unreasonable about?

I suppose, officer, I am asking whether IABU to think this is interesting.

People who are sensitive are more likely to be vegetarian. Overthinkers who can’t happily ignore where their food comes from. Definitely a case of correlation not causation.

It's a sample size of over 150k across several studies.

Yes, but only 5.5% of those were meat avoiders

This is the problem with media reporting of these studies. From the original paper:

"...study designs and a lack of rigor precluded inferences of causal relations. Our study does not support meat avoidance as a strategy to benefit psychological health."

"There were numerous issues that reduced the confidence in the published results. As detailed in our discussion, these issues included cross-sectional design, non-representative sampling, biased recruitment, the use of subjective (i.e., self-reported) dietary and psychological data, the failure to account for social desirability and observer-expectancy effects (e.g., reactivity), the failure to collect data on actual dietary intake, and statistical, interpretive, and communication errors such as the failure to correct for multiple comparisons, recognize regression to the mean, and the inappropriate use of causal language."

"Across all studies, there was no evidence to support a causal relation between the consumption or avoidance of meat and any psychological outcomes."

I think people who are vegetarian/vegan are generally more empathetic. They also can't just overlook or ignore the awful things that go on in the world so I would say that is why.

Yes, but only 5.5% of those were meat avoiders

The only point I was making is that I'm sceptical the study is organised by the meat conspiracy, as suggested by PP.

I am vegetarian and have been depressed in the past, although I’m in a very mentally healthy place right now. I actually think not eating meat contributes to my mental health being better.

I’m vegetarian. I take medication for anxiety. I’m an over thinker, I couldn’t eat meat ever again. it’s the fact I am sensitive etc that makes me a vegetarian. I still had anxiety when I wasn’t veggie.

They are more sensitive that’s why they don’t eat animals?

Sorry cross post!

Personally, I think there will be a correlation. As someone with anxiety and depression, and a vegan, I am more sensitive to how I make others feel and that includes animals, I carry more guilt, and being at the lower end of the mood spectrum anyway, its better to reduce the things that make my mood lower.
People who've never felt crippling fear or anxiety will be less able to relate to animals that feel that fear. People who suffer with mental health issues become more aware of their own and others emotions I think.

I am sensitive and I don't eat animals. However I am aware of the need for Vit. B with a vegetarian diet and that deficiency can cause various symptoms, one being depression.

I'd be depressed if I couldn't have bacon.

I'm a vegetarian. Not sure if I suffer with any of those things more than the average person - I'm lucky to have good mental health. Everyone feels overwhelmed and anxious at some point.

Vegetarianism is attractive to people with disordered eating and an easy, acceptable way to control and eliminate food groups so there will be a cohort of vegetarians who already have poor mental health to begin with.

It's also attractive to anxious people concerned about health, animal welfare, environmentalism and stricter religious values.

I'd think more correlation than causation. Certainly my anorexic friend was anorexic long before she claimed to be vegetarian (which she wasn't strictly) and she used it as a simple control mechanism. Veganism wasn't trendy or easy then, but she'd probably have gone down that route today. The vegan that I did know at that time was of an anxious, self-controlling disposition too.

That certainly doesn't mean that abstaining from meat/ animal products is a sign of poor mental health, just that it's a readily acceptable outlet for people struggling with it that skews the population.

Possibly because they're more sensitive individuals to begin with

This exactly.

There is lots of different research saying lots of different things. I have looked at the full article and it has some interesting findings.

The review on Psy Post extrapolates a bit though. I'm not sure they actually found 'clear' evidence - it was more of a strong suggestion.

Ppl with MH problems are more likely to be vegan or vegetarian- test that hypothesis.

What a load of rubbish.. I was vegetarian from 12-14 but developed real MH issue at 15/16 (probs cos my dad died). I've been vegetarian a year again but I've had MH problems for years.. not related at all

*HOW DOES SOMEONE ELSE'S DIET AFFECT YOU EITHER?
*
I've got far more things to worry about than the taste of bacon, thank you x

Maybe a lack of B vitamins?

I’ve been vegetarian for 30 years and have no mental health worries. I think I’m just realistic - humans don’t need to eat animals to live a happy and healthy life and that’s why I don’t. I can’t see who funded this study but would be interested to know who is behind it.