Study finds that teenage vegetarians more likely to develop eating disorders than meat eaters

NEW YORK Teenagers who embrace vegetarianism may be attempting to hide an eating disorder, according to a new study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Researchers at the University of St. Joseph analyzed survey data from more than 2,500 male and female teenagers and adults aged 15 to 23, finding that while vegetarians tended to have fewer weight problems than people who ate meat, they were more likely to engage in binge eating or bulimia.

The researchers in the study classified 4.3% of participants as current vegetarians, 10.8% as former vegetarians and 84.9% as having never been vegetarians. They found that current vegetarians ate more fruits and vegetables and less fat than those who weren’t vegetarians, while adolescent former vegetarians were more likely than those who weren’t vegetarians to engage in unhealthy forms of weight control, such as bulimia.

According to a study published in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics, pregnant women with vegetarian and vegan diets may not get enough vitamin B12, which is more common in meat than in plants, and may increase the risk of birth defects.