Sep 27, 2022 08:00:00

Research shows that sticking to a meat-free vegan diet can lead to depression

Regarding the relationship between diet and depression, it has been shown

that there is a possibility that the time of day when meals are eaten is related to the risk of developing depression, and that repeated high-fat meals worsen the risk of Alzheimer's disease and depression. Various studies are being conducted. A joint study by universities in Brazil and Portugal has newly shown a relationship between a meatless vegetarian diet and depression.

Association between meatless diet and depressive episodes: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the longitudinal study of adult health (ELSA-Brasil) - ScienceDirect
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.059

Association between vegetarian and vegan diets and depression: A systematic review - Jain - 2022 - Nutrition Bulletin - Wiley Online Library
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nbu.12540

In a paper published in September 2022, a research team led by Ingrid S. Cole, who is in charge of the collective health program at Vale do Rio dos Sinos University in Brazil, found that published a cross-sectional study using data including 14,216 Brazilians aged 74 years. The interviews included a 'food frequency questionnaire' to determine whether individuals eat meat or choose a meat-free diet. The Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R), which examines the presence or absence of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety disorders, is then used to assess individuals' episodes of depression, including smoking, alcohol intake, and physical activity. It was evaluated along with factors such as activity, health status, and daily energy intake.

As a result, researchers found that the incidence of depressive episodes was positively associated with a meat-free diet. Those who did not eat meat experienced episodes of depression about twice as often as those who regularly ate meat.

Research on the relationship between vegetarianism and mental health has been conducted in the past, and while a 2020 study found no association in a meta-analysis , a 2021 study found a similar meta-analysis showed a higher association between vegetarianism and mental health. The association of depression scores was confirmed. A paper published by Rishika Jain of King's College London and colleagues in January 2022 stated, ``Previous meta-analyses showed that seven studies showed a relationship between vegetarianism and depression. 'Although seven results showed no association, the studies analyzed were heterogeneous and further research is needed,' he said, conducting a detailed meta-analysis to broaden the scope. As a result, Jain found that ``vegetarianism was more associated with depression than meat-eaters, and vegan diets were more associated with depression than vegetarian diets.''

A paper by Cole and colleagues concludes that the risk of depression is more common in people who don't eat meat, rather than socio-economic factors or lifestyle, but nutritional deficiencies are not the cause. It states that it has not been possible to investigate a direct causal relationship between depression and vegetarianism.

On the other hand, in a thread on the online bulletin board Reddit where this research was discussed, it was stated that ``It's not that you're more prone to depression because you don't eat meat, but that you don't eat meat because you place strong moral value on animals.'' People who make choices tend to be more empathetic and are more likely to harm their mental health,'' and others say, ``Some people think that eating meat is unethical for vegetarians, so many people don't eat meat.'' There were also specific comments such as, ``I always feel sad about what I'm eating,'' and ``When I'm faced with dishes I'm not used to eating, it's stressful to always have to worry about what's in them.'' It is mentioned.