Eating Disorder Service - vegetarian diet

Contact details

Bolton Eating Disorder Service 01204 462 785

Chester Eating Disorder Service 01244 397 755

Macclesfield Eating Disorder Service 01625 505 621

Trafford Eating Disorder Service 01925 248 475

Warrington and Halton Eating Disorder Service 01925 248 475

Wirral Eating Disorder Service 0151 488 7342

Introduction

People follow vegetarian diets for a variety of reasons such as ethical reasons, religious beliefs, preference and health beliefs or to lose weight.

What is a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarians typically don’t eat meat, poultry, fish or shellfish. However different types of vegetarian diets exist:

  • Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy foods and eggs but not meat, poultry or seafood
  • Ovo-vegetarians include eggs but avoid all other animal foods, including dairy
  • Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy foods but exclude eggs, meat, poultry and seafood

Vegans don’t eat any animal products at all, including honey.

Eating disorders and vegetarian diets

Research suggests that most eating disorder patients report vegetarianism in their history with those in recovery being less prone to this dietary pattern.

This indicates that the motivation for dietary restriction in these cases is likely linked to having a more restrictive diet to enable weight loss.

It is important to think about the motivations for a vegetarian diet and its appropriateness during your treatment.

A balanced diet

Being vegetarian means getting the nutrients that are associated with the conventional diet of meat, poultry, fish and seafood from other sources.

Nutrients found in meat and fish such as protein, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D and the essential fats are important to include in your diet to prevent deficiency.

Proteins

These are the building blocks of the body and are responsible for a wide range of functions such as DNA, enzymes, bloods cells and muscle cells.

Iron

Iron is needed to enable your body to carry oxygen to your cells. A deficiency can lead to anaemia resulting in tiredness, lack of energy, shortness of breath and a pale complexion.

Zinc

Zinc enables your body to make enzymes and protein and deficiency can cause growth delay, diarrhoea and immune deficiency.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 enables your body to reuse folate and build your red blood cells therefore a deficiency of either B12 or folate can lead to underdeveloped red blood cells causing tiredness, lack of energy, shortness of breath, feeling faint, headaches and a pale complexion.

Vitamin D

This helps your body to absorb calcium and without can cause damage to the bones, meaning they do not grow correctly in children, and in adults become weak and fragile, meaning they are more likely to fracture.

All adults and children over the age of one should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of Vitamin D especially during autumn and winter.

Essential fats acids (Omega 3 & 6)

These are needed for development and maintenance of proper brain function, the immune system and production of hormone like molecules. The body cannot make these fatty acids, so it is important to get these from our diets.

Should I follow a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarian diets can be healthy, as well as being a valid ethical choice. However, choosing a vegetarian diet can also be used as a method of weight loss in those with an eating disorder.

Consider your reasons and if you would like to reintroduce different foods then a dietitian can help support you with the process.