Current Events > Study: Vegetarianism may be linked to depression

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/08/25/vegetarianism-may-be-linked-to-depression-study-suggests/#4d71c3d71e89

A new study suggests that a vegetarian diet may, counterintuitively, be linked to depression. Though there are some limitations to the new research (namely, that it was in men only), there’s one reason that it may be right on: Vegetarians and vegans may be low on the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids that are essential to neurological function. So the study may at least be a good reminder to add back what you may be lacking, either with food or with supplement.

The authors, from the University of Bristol and the NIH, looked at data from 9,700 men in Britain—all were the husbands of pregnant women taking part in a long-term study on parent and child health. The men indicated whether they were vegetarian and vegan, and filled out questionnaires about the specific makeup of their typical diets.

Men who were vegetarian/vegan, of which there were only 350 total (the team lumped the two groups together, since there weren't many vegans), were more likely to have depression than non-vegetarians, and more likely to have a higher depression score. Even after adjustment for potential confounding variables (like family history, number of children, job status, and so on), the connection still held. There was also a slight connection between the number of years one had been vegetarian and the severity of one’s depression, but that link wasn’t statistically significant.

Despite the obvious health benefits of vegetarianism, there are some good reasons that vegetarians and vegans might be prone to depression. Their intake of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and folate may be lower than meat eaters’, the authors write, and deficiencies of these have all been associated with depression. The same may be true for iron and zinc. Additionally, the authors suggest that vegetarians may have a higher intake of omega-6 fatty acids, which have been shown to increase inflammation and have also been linked to depression. Vegetarians and vegans may also consume more plant estrogens, particularly if they eat a lot of soy products. Finally, the authors suggest that vegetarians and vegans may take in higher levels of pesticides, assuming their intake of plant-based foods is higher than average.le debate about the fact that a plant-based diet is the healthiest around, both in terms of physical health and brain health.

Interesting study. Loosely corresponds to what I typically observe in vegetarian men I know.
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Or are depressed people more likely to be vegetarians?
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The correlation is proven, but not the reasoning behind it. The fact that the reasoning ties veganism and vegetarianism together so strongly is enough of a red flag. Those two things might as well be completely different diets.

Surely this can't be true! Noooooooooo
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Feeling blue? Eat some bacon
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This makes sense. Most vegetarians are bitter, sad people
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lol Admiral. His format is so predictable.
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So didn't actually measure those nutrients they're saying might be lower.
This study seems... Low quality
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emblem boy posted...

So didn't actually measure those nutrients they're saying might be lower.
This study seems... Low quality

I'm pretty sure you would need blood tests to measure that and I really doubt a simple study like this would be willing to spend money to get everyone an individual blood test.
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Tmaster148 posted...

emblem boy posted...

So didn't actually measure those nutrients they're saying might be lower.
This study seems... Low quality

I'm pretty sure you would need blood tests to measure that and I really doubt a simple study like this would be willing to spend money to get everyone an individual blood test.

Then all speculations on the part of the researcher are basically worthless

The Admiral posted...

counterintuitively

Lol no
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wah_wah_wah posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

emblem boy posted...

So didn't actually measure those nutrients they're saying might be lower.
This study seems... Low quality

I'm pretty sure you would need blood tests to measure that and I really doubt a simple study like this would be willing to spend money to get everyone an individual blood test.

Then all speculations on the part of the researcher are basically worthless

I wouldn't say speculations are worthless. This just requires more follow up. Correlations can be pretty useful in science and are often a great starting point.

Video from minute physics that talks about correlation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUti6vGctQM
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glitteringfairy posted...

This makes sense. Most vegetarians are bitter, sad people

Because most of those people are liberal, not because they are vegetarians. I used to be depressed all the time until I switched to a mostly vegan diet, except on some occasions, and my depression hasn't come back since.

Annihilated posted...

glitteringfairy posted...

This makes sense. Most vegetarians are bitter, sad people

Because most of those people are liberal, not because they are vegetarians. I used to be depressed all the time until I switched to a mostly vegan diet, except on some occasions, and my depression hasn't come back since.

I can agree with this
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DuranOfForcena posted...

make sense, bacon makes me pretty happy tbh

Yeah, if I couldn't eat bacon I'd be depressed as shit. This study makes sense to me

Tmaster148 posted...

wah_wah_wah posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

emblem boy posted...

So didn't actually measure those nutrients they're saying might be lower.
This study seems... Low quality

I'm pretty sure you would need blood tests to measure that and I really doubt a simple study like this would be willing to spend money to get everyone an individual blood test.

Then all speculations on the part of the researcher are basically worthless

I wouldn't say speculations are worthless. This just requires more follow up. Correlations can be pretty useful in science and are often a great starting point.

Video from minute physics that talks about correlation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUti6vGctQM

They don't tell us anything now

To me it's pretty obvious that adhering to a strict diet that cuts out an entire food group (two if vegan) is going to make most people a bit unhappy.
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weapon_d00d816 posted...

To me it's pretty obvious that adhering to a strict diet that cuts out an entire food group (two if vegan) is going to make most people a bit unhappy.

Not if you don't feel genuinely deprived by doing so.

Well yeah

I mean it's the epiotme of wanting something you can never have... three times a day, seven days a week.
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weapon_d00d816 posted...

To me it's pretty obvious that adhering to a strict diet that cuts out an entire food group (two if vegan) is going to make most people a bit unhappy.

I don't think people who are into a vegetarian diet look at cutting those food groups out as a negative thing though. Especially if they aren't doing it for a specific health reason. If anything, some of them would be cutting those foods out in an effort to feel morally and ethically(depending on their reason to be vegetarian or vegan) better about their food choices

Also, the article is trying to say the depression is due to a lack of nutrients, not from the difficulty in maintaining a diet
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Also I wonder if they controlled for people that had to adopt vegetarian and veganism for health reasons. Nothing in the article indicates to me that they did that, and that would possibly erase most if not all the correlation.

emblem boy posted...

Also, the article is trying to say the depression is due to a lack of nutrients, not from the difficulty in maintaining a diet

And that part of it is all speculation. Nothing was tested or verified on that front. It very well could be because of deprivation.

wah_wah_wah posted...

Also I wonder if they controlled for people that had to adopt vegetarian and veganism for health reasons. Nothing in the article indicates to me that they did that, and that would possibly erase most if not all the correlation.

emblem boy posted...

Also, the article is trying to say the depression is due to a lack of nutrients, not from the difficulty in maintaining a diet

And that part of it is all speculation. Nothing was tested or verified on that front. It very well could be because of deprivation.

Oh trust me, I completely agree. Was just trying to point out that his reasons weren't what the article was discussing
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You mean if you dont get your nutrients you dont feel well??? Astounding!
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Vegetarianism isn't the problem. Having a healthy diet in general is. I know some people who are technically vegetarians, but eat total shit all the time. Living on pizza, cheese, potatoes, etc. They are doing it wrong.
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It's a poor diet that would make most depressed
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Oh shit

glitteringfairy posted...

This makes sense. Most vegetarians are bitter, sad people

I'm a vegetarian and I don't think that title fits me at all.

I do take vitamins though.
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ThyCorndog posted...

Or are depressed people more likely to be vegetarians?

Yeah... I'm thing the cause/effect relationship may actually be reversed here.

That explains a lot of Vegeterian behaviors, on the internet at least

They're just sad about all the people that still eat animals duh
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The Admiral posted...

Vegetarians and vegans may be low on the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids that are essential to neurological function.

So there might be things other than depression too.
But this study wasn't done very well.