A study published in the journal, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, concluded those who avoid meat may have higher rates of depression, anxiety, or self-harm behaviors.
Although the study did not conclude there was a direct association between the two, the research precluded inferences of casual relations.
The report overall does not support meat avoidance as a beneficial strategy to benefit psychological health.
The findings discovered one in three vegetarians suffer from depression or anxiety in their lifetime, and compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians were two to three times more likely to think about or perform self-harm.
“These findings have implications when defining what constitutes a ‘healthy diet,’” said Edward Archer, one of the study’s authors.
“Mental health may need to be emphasized when evaluating the benefits and risks of particular dietary patterns.”
The study was funded in part by a grant from the Beef Checkoff through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, although the study notes the sponsor had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation, or writing of the report.
