[Greekgirl]

Vegetarian Diet and Eating Disorders

A new study suggests that teenage vegetarians are at much greater risk of eating disorders than teens who eat meat. Adolescent vegetarians were more weight and body conscious and more likely to have tried a variety of healthy and unhealthy weight control methods including diet pills, laxatives, and vomiting. The study appeared in the December 2001 edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Over 4,200 teenagers in Minnesota, U.S., were studied. About six percent identified themselves as vegetarians, and three-fourths were females. Vegetarians, particularly males, were more than twice as likely to have used an unhealthy weight control practice in the past year and used diet pills, laxatives or vomiting in the previous week. Vegetarians were more likely to be dissatisfied with their bodies and exhibit signs of depression. Vegetarian teenagers thought they were in greater control of their weight than nonvegetarians but exhibited far more unhealthy weight control practices.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Semi-vegetarians (those who ate chicken/fish) were more likely to choose this diet pattern for weight control than any other reason, while most true vegetarians chose that because of opposition to killing animals. Semi-vegetarians also were much less likely to participate in vigorous physical activity. Since vegetarianism can be a healthy choice, it is important for teenagers who choose this to learn proper nutrition and weight management. 02.04.02


Taken from: Nutrition News Focus Magazine (www.nutritionnewsfocus.com)