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Vegetarians and omnivores with diagnosed eating disorders exhibit no difference in symptomology: a retrospective clinical chart review

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Abstract

Purpose

Past work suggests that vegetarianism is common in patients diagnosed with eating disorders (EDs), but the exact nature of this association is unclear, with reports conflicting as to whether vegetarianism is a risk factor for EDs, complicates ED treatment, or is wholly innocuous. Since vegetarianism has been on the rise, the need for current data on possible links with EDs is substantial.

Methods

We collected data on demographics, vegetarian status, ED diagnosis, current body mass index (BMI), highest and lowest BMI, Eating Attitudes Test, and Multifactorial Assessment of Eating Disorders Symptoms scores at intake in 124 patients (84.7% women, 90.3% white, Mage = 23.92 ± 9.16 years) admitted to an intensive outpatient ED program.

Results

We first compared omnivores (n = 72, 58.1%), meat-reducers (n = 27, 21.8%), vegetarians (n = 20, 16.1%), and vegans (n = 5, 4.0%) and found no significant differences in any demographic or outcome variable, with the exception that vegetarians reported significantly lower highest-ever BMI compared to meat-reducers (p = 0.03). To mirror past chart reviews, we then compared the combined groups of meat avoiders (n = 52, 41.9%) to the omnivores (n = 72, 58.1%) and found no significant differences in demographics or ED symptoms (all ps > 0.05).

Conclusion

Overall, data support that meat restriction does not imply greater ED severity.

Level of evidence

Level V, descriptive study, retrospective chart review.

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Funding

This research was not supported by any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Social Sciences 399, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY, 12222, USA

    Sydney Heiss, Drew A. Anderson & Julia M. Hormes

  2. Department of Psychology, Union College, Schenectady, USA

    D. Catherine Walker

  3. HPA/LiveWell, Albany, NY, USA

    Julie N. Morison

Authors
  1. Sydney Heiss
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  2. D. Catherine Walker
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  3. Drew A. Anderson
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  4. Julie N. Morison
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  5. Julia M. Hormes
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Contributions

SH and JMH developed the research design. SH and collected and analyzed the data. All authors were involved in the interpretation of the data and the writing of the manuscript. All authors approve of the submission of the manuscript in its current form. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sydney Heiss.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the University at Albany Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Informed consent

This study obtained a waiver of signed informed consent, as the research presents no more than minimal risk and requiring informed consent would result in undue burden.

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Heiss, S., Walker, D.C., Anderson, D.A. et al. Vegetarians and omnivores with diagnosed eating disorders exhibit no difference in symptomology: a retrospective clinical chart review. Eat Weight Disord 26, 1007–1012 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00903-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00903-w

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