Vegetarianism in young women: another means of weight control?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the links between vegetarianism (meat avoidance) and weight control in young women.


METHODS
Self-reported food habits (indicating meat avoidance and weight loss dieting) and dietary restraint (using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire [DEBQ]) were collected from 131 young adult women. Restraint scores and weight loss behavior were compared between vegetarians and nonvegetarians. In addition, reasons for meat avoidance were identified in the vegetarian subjects.


RESULTS
Vegetarianism, broadly defined, was reported by 34.3% of participants. Vegetarians had significantly higher dietary restraint, but did not differ in current dieting.


CONCLUSIONS
The relationship between vegetarianism and weight control is complex. Vegetarianism may be best seen as a method for complicating the normalization of eating rather than a simple risk factor for eating disorders.
Gilbody
S M
SM
NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, United Kingdom.
Kirk
S F
SF
Hill
A J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires