In the study, low-meat eaters did not differ from their omnivore peers in their weight, body mass index or their opinion about their weight.

Why did the teens choose the low-meat diet?

Young women also did not seem to choose the low-meat diet for health-related reasons. In fact, being healthy seemed to be more important for the omnivores, who tended to be healthier than the low-meat eaters, study findings indicate.

Were the low-meat eaters healthier than other teens studied?

Female low-meat eaters reported being sick more often than did their peers, while male low-meat eaters reported being tired and having headaches more often than their peers. Both the male and female low-meat eaters reported being depressed more often than the omnivores.

Why were the low-meat eaters less healthy?

Low-meat eaters may be less healthy because their health was poorer initially, leading them to choose a vegetarian lifestyle for health reasons, or they may choose a low-meat diet for ethical reasons rather than health concerns, so they might not have the same interest in practicing a healthy lifestyle as do more health-oriented vegetarians.

Journal of Adolescent Health 2002;31:190-198