Adolescent vegetarians. A behavioral profile of a school-based population in Minnesota

To compare a population-based sample of vegetarian and nonvegetarian adolescents regarding food intake patterns, disordered eating, and a range of other non-food-related health-compromising and health-promoting behaviors.

A cross-sectional school-based survey.

Public schools within nonurban areas of Minnesota.

Adolescents (n = 107) aged 12 to 20 years who reported on the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey that they follow a vegetarian diet and a comparison group of nonvegetarian youth (n = 214) matched for sex, age, and ethnicity. The percentage of self-identified vegetarians in the study population was relatively low (0.6%); most of the vegetarians were female (81%).

Food intake patterns, disordered eating (frequent dieting, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, and laxative use), health-compromising behaviors (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use and suicide attempts), and health-promoting behaviors (seat belt use, physical activity, and brushing teeth regularly).

Vegetarian adolescents were twice as likely to consume fruits and vegetables (P < .001), one third as likely to consume sweets (P < .001), and one fourth as likely to eat salty snack foods (P < .001) more than once a day compared with nonvegetarians. Vegetarians were almost twice as likely to report frequent dieting (P < .001), 4 times as likely to report intentional vomiting (P < .001), and 8 times as likely to report laxative use (P < .001) than nonvegetarians. Overall, associations with other health-compromising and health-promoting behaviors were not apparent.

A vegetarian diet may be beneficial because of increased fruit and vegetable consumption and decreased consumption of foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. However, adolescents following a vegetarian diet need to be screened for adequate food intake and potential disordered eating behaviors.