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POST4
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<ul><li><strong>A new study has found a link between meatless diets and depressive episodes.</strong></li><li><strong>People who did not eat meat were depressed about two times as often.</strong></li><li><strong>It was not possible to determine whether this was due to nutritional deficiencies.</strong></li><li><strong>Nutritionists say certain nutrients may be more difficult to obtain on a meatless diet.</strong></li><li><strong>However, meatless diets can be nutritionally adequate with good planning.</strong></li></ul>
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<p>According to a new study published this month in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032722010643#ab0005" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Affective Disorders</a>, vegetarians experienced depressive episodes twice as often as those who ate meat.</p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/vegetarian-and-special-diets/vegetarianism-the-basic-facts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics</a> explains that vegetarianism is defined in various ways, with some people opting to still consume dairy and/or eggs. However, the common thread in all forms of vegetarianism is the avoidance of meat.</p>
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<p>Vegans, on the other hand, do not eat any animal products at all, including honey.</p>
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<p>There are many reasons that people choose to eat a meatless diet, including ethical considerations, concern for the environment, religious beliefs, and health benefits.</p>
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<h2><a>Investigating the link between meatless diets and depression</a></h2>
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<p>The survey looked at 14,216 people in Brazil between the ages of 35 to 74. A food frequency questionnaire was used to determine whether people followed a meatless diet.</p>
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<p>A diagnostic tool called the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) was used to determine whether people had episodes of depression.</p>
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<p>The researchers found, upon analysis of the data, that meatless diets were associated with twice the frequency of depressive episodes. Further, this association was independent of socioeconomic factors as well as lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity levels, and body mass index (BMI). The exact reason for these findings is unclear.</p>
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<p><a href="https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediaroom/expertslisting/mary-mosquera" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mary Mosquera-Cochran</a>, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center who was not a part of the study, said that due to the way the study was designed — analyzing data rather than conducting a controlled experiment — it can’t be concluded whether a meatless diet actually does cause depression.</p>
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<p>“The researchers found that diet quality was somewhat associated with higher rates of depression, but it did not fully explain the association,” said Cochran.</p>
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<p>She further explained that the researchers hypothesized that this link might exist because people who are depressed are more likely to try dietary changes (like cutting out meat, for example) because they are hoping to feel better.</p>
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<p>Cochran said that the study was done on Brazilian citizens, so it also may not apply to other populations.</p>
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<p>She additionally pointed out the fact that it was only a very small percentage of people in the sample studied were actually vegetarians — 82 people out of around 14,000 total.</p>
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<p>“The authors note that it’s currently estimated that 5-14% of Brazilians currently follow a vegetarian style diet, so this sample may not be reflective of all vegetarians in Brazil either,” said Cochran.</p>
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<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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<p>Online therapy can help with depression</p>
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<p>Improve your quality of life with the support of BetterHelp's licensed therapists. Get therapy when you need it over phone, video, or chat.</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://activation.healthline.com/api/member-offers/2168/redirect?lp=328&tc=120226&subid2=/health-news/experts-have-beef-with-study-linking-depression-and-vegetarian-diet&subid=betterhelp_hl_mid_depression_tyq_38308_38533&correlationId=7dc03b1e-6ebd-4f55-87dd-4880aa1e994b">TAKE YOUR QUIZ</a></p>
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<h2><a>Why might meatless diets cause depression?</a></h2>
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<p>Though the authors also note that they adjusted for factors like protein and micronutrient intake, concluding that they believe “nutrient deficiencies do not explain this association,” other experts disagree.</p>
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<p>Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson <a href="https://www.eatrightpro.org/media/meet-our-spokespeople/spokespeople/monique-richard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monique Richard</a>, said meatless diets and depression could be linked for a variety of reasons, with one being nutrient deficiencies.</p>
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<p>“Whenever an individual excludes an entire food group, in this case, protein and fat sources, and does not replace it with equally nutritionally-adequate options, it will affect a variety of systemic and physiological functions such as cognitive health,” she said, noting that it is important to look deeper into the dietary patterns of these individuals to learn whether this might have been the case.</p>
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<p>“If an individual does not have an adequate intake of nutrients such as B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein, certain enzymes and proteins may be compromised, altering specific pathways in the body,” said Richard. “This could affect mood, anxiety, memory, perceived stress, sleep, etc.”</p>
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<p>As an example, she cites the amino acid tryptophan, which is needed to make serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that has been linked to mood disorders like depression.</p>
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<p>Tryptophan is found in meat as well as oats, nuts, and seeds, explained Richard. But it’s important that people are educated on what foods contain it and how to consume enough to meet their own personal needs.</p>
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<p>“Other factors that would be important to assess would be if the person felt isolated or disconnected from others related to their dietary choice,” said Richard. “Is there a personal, religious, or moral consideration for the choice that may also be contributing to these feelings and state of mind?”</p>
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