Dear DOCTOR Owen:
I have considered following a vegetarian diet because I really don’t like the thought of eating animals. I am not seriously overweight, but could drop 20 pounds. Are vegetarian diets safe? Are there any foods I should eat on this type of diet?
Green Machine
Dear “Green”:
Not only are vegetarian diets safe, but people on them also have a marked decrease in succumbing to the more common illnesses in our Western culture. I find that vegetarians are less culturally attacked or criticized and carry a “cult”-like aura.
Both heart disease and cancer are decreased on vegetarian diets. With some vegetable and/or dairy proteins, it is very difficult to have malnutrition on a vegetarian diet.
Vegetarian diets have been accepted as “OK” in our culture. People who do not eat meat are often highly respected because of the role that vegetarianism plays in some religions. Some people, on the other hand, view vegetarians as so far to the “left of center” that they are frightened to confront the reasons why anyone would choose such a path. Because they don’t like to lose, most people won’t engage in battles they can’t win and are less likely to challenge people who are firm in their convictions.
You will not likely be hassled for choosing vegetarianism.
As with any diet plan, persistent and permanent changes are the only real issues for long-term weight and health management. I encourage the vegetarian approach whenever I find a willing patient.
I have often wondered: Who chooses vegetarianism? Why? What about long- term compliance? An article in Obesity Research, Vol. 8, No. 2, 123–129, answers those questions and compares results to other diet methods for obesity. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh compared weight loss with vegetarians (Group I) and non-vegetarians (Group II). Each group was allowed to pick an individual plan of choice within its category.
The people in both groups lost weight and were concerned about their appearance. Only 5% of the subjects in Group I vs. 53% in Group II stopped their diets because of “boredom.” Most of the people in Group I were able to continue their diets for more than a year—unlike in Group II, where very few were able to follow their chosen methods for a year.
Most of the people in Group I chose vegetarianism for reasons other than obesity: aversion to eating animals, religious beliefs, health, animal welfare, the environment. Group II showed none of these concerns. The vegetarians were also less overweight at the onset. The question is: Were the people in Group I already implementing subconscious methods of dietary restraint before they deliberately chose vegetarianism?
In both groups, a deliberate avoidance of fatty foods appears apparent, and half of the people in both groups stated that they “missed” tasty food treats.
Group I—Vegetarians |
Group II—Non-vegetarians |
Most likely: Caucasian women* of college age.
Least likely: Hispanics. |
More likely to feel deprived/bored and “lost interest” †— looked for an excuse to stop their perceived deprivation. |
Smoked less than Group II. |
More likely to choose a diet for body image sake only. |
Exercised more than Group II. |
More likely to abandon the diet for non-weight loss. |
Ate less fat‡ of any kind. |
12% still followed diet a year later. |
Apt to think of their diets as a “way of life.” |
|
“Felt healthier” on their chosen diets (4 times as much as Group II). |
|
More than 60% still followed diet a year later. |
|
*I have never met a man who is a vegetarian!
† Value food as a reward.
‡ Dairy and plant fats are just as fattening as animal fats.
|
