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    Meat and Mental Health: a Systematic Review of Meat Abstention and Depression, Anxiety, and Related Phenomena

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    Author
    Dobersek, Urska
    Wy, Gabrielle
    Adkins, Joshua
    Altmeyer, Sydney
    Krout, Kaitlin
    Lavie, Carl
    Archer, Edward
    Affiliation
    University of Southern Indiana
    University of Maryland
    The University of Queensland, School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
    EvolvingFX, Jupiter, Florida
    Keyword
    anxiety
    depression
    meat
    mental health
    self-harm
    vegan
    vegetarianism
    Title
    Meat and Mental Health: a Systematic Review of Meat Abstention and Depression, Anxiety, and Related Phenomena
    
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    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12419/588
    Abstract

    Objective: To examine the relation between the consumption or avoidance of meat and psychological health and well-being.

    Methods: A systematic search of online databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Medline, and Cochrane Library) was conducted for primary research examining psychological health in meat-consumers and meat-abstainers. Inclusion criteria were the provision of a clear distinction between meat-consumers and meat-abstainers, and data on factors related to psychological health. Studies examining meat consumption as a continuous or multi-level variable were excluded. Summary data were compiled, and qualitative analyses of methodologic rigor were conducted. The main outcome was the disparity in the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and related conditions in meat-consumers versus meat-abstainers. Secondary outcomes included mood and self-harm behaviors

    Results: Eighteen studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria; representing 160,257 participants (85,843 females and 73,232 males) with 149,559 meat-consumers and 8584 meat-abstainers (11 to 96 years) from multiple geographic regions. Analysis of methodologic rigor revealed that the studies ranged from low to severe risk of bias with high to very low confidence in results. Eleven of the 18 studies demonstrated that meat-abstention was associated with poorer psychological health, four studies were equivocal, and three showed that meat-abstainers had better outcomes. The most rigorous studies demonstrated that the prevalence or risk of depression and/or anxiety were significantly greater in participants who avoided meat consumption.

    Conclusion: Studies examining the relation between the consumption or avoidance of meat and psychological health varied substantially in methodologic rigor, validity of interpretation, and confidence in results. The majority of studies, and especially the higher quality studies, showed that those who avoided meat consumption had significantly higher rates or risk of depression, anxiety, and/or self-harm behaviors. There was mixed evidence for temporal relations, but study designs and a lack of rigor precluded inferences of causal relations. Our study does not support meat avoidance as a strategy to benefit psychological health.

    ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
    https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1741505
    Scopus Count
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    Faculty Publications
    Psychology

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