Vegetarians have about twice as many episodes of depression as meat eaters, according to a new study.
The study, based on Brazilian survey data, is in line with previous research that found that people who don’t eat meat have higher rates of depression. However, new research suggests that this association exists independently of nutritional intake.
Looking at the link between diet and certain health problems, it may seem easy to assume that the former causes the latter via some form of nutritional deficiency.
However, the new analysis Affective Disorder Journaltook into account a wide range of nutritional factors, including total caloric intake, protein intake, micronutrient intake, and level of food processing.
This suggests that the higher rates of depression among vegetarians are not due to the nutritional composition of the diet.
So what could explain the relationship between vegetarianism and depression? Is there a non-nutritional mechanism by which the former causes the latter? Or does the relationship hinge on something else entirely?
First, being depressed can make you more likely to become a vegetarian. Symptoms of depression may include ruminating about negative thoughts, as well as feelings of guilt.
Assuming that people with and without depression are equally likely to encounter the upsetting truths of slaughterhouses and factory farming, depressed people are more likely to ruminate on those thoughts and demand are likely to feel guilty for their involvement in creating
In this case, depressed vegetarians are not necessarily wrong to think this way.
Although depression is sometimes characterized as having unrealistic negative perceptions, people with mild to moderate depression make more realistic judgments about the consequences of uncertain events. , there is evidence to suggest that they have a more realistic perception of their roles and capabilities.
In this case, the cruel treatment of animals in meat production is real. And this is driven by consumer demand for really cheap meat.
Second, sticking to a vegetarian diet can cause depression for reasons other than nutrition. can cause depression in
For example, adopting a vegetarian diet can affect relationships with others and participation in social activities, and can sometimes be associated with teasing and other forms of social exclusion.
In particular, the new study is based on survey data collected in Brazil, which is famous for its meat-rich diet. , increased from 8% in 2012 to 16% in 2018.
However, a recent paper surveyed over 14,000 Brazilians and found only 82 vegetarians.
I wonder if the same associations between vegetarianism and depression can be seen in India and other countries where vegetarianism is a social norm.
More importantly, as the proportion of vegetarians increases in the UK and other developed countries, will that relationship disappear over time?
Finally, neither vegetarianism nor depression may cause the other, but both are associated with some third factor. or experience.
For example, women are more likely than men to be vegetarians and experience depression. However, the Brazilian study considered gender and excluded this particular third variable.
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One unverified but likely variable associated with both vegetarianism and depression is exposure to violent imagery of the meat industry. The most common reason given by vegetarians to avoid meat is to prevent cruelty to animals.
documentaries like Dominion When Earthling A movie about the brutality of the meat industry is not a feel-good movie. It’s easy to imagine that someone consuming this kind of media would become a vegetarian and become depressed, especially if most people chose to look the other way.
There are several possible reasons for the relationship between vegetarianism and depression. This new study suggests that vegetarian nutrition is not the cause of depression.
Alternatively, either vegetarian social experiences may contribute to depression, depression may increase the likelihood of becoming a vegetarian, or both vegetarianism and depression may contribute to violent behavior. It may be caused by a third variable, such as exposure to the image of the meat industry.
Chris Bryant, Emeritus Research Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of Bath
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Please read the original article.
