Disclosure: "This study was funded in part via an unrestricted research grant from the Beef Checkoff, through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association."
Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
21–30 of 231 posts
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#22This is nothing but conjecture, but my suspicion is that neurotically conscientious people are more likely to become vegan, and also more likely to be depressed and anxious.
I don't think you're wrong. Ignorance is bliss, sometimes.
If everyone had to meet the meat before their meals, we'd be able to bring consumption right down.
(And by that I'd include the whole impact of cow breeding on the environment etc, right down to the execution.)
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#23How much faith do you have in nutrition science?
How sure are you that they know all the vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, etc that are important to your health?
We know for sure that there are vitamins that it is pretty much impossible to get with a normal vegan diet (without either taking a supplement or consciously consuming certain foods to supplement) such as vitamin B-12. Other minerals such as iron are more bio-available when consumed as part of meat.
Humans evolved as omnivores. Human nutritional needs evolved based on what an omnivore diet provided. If you think that nutrition science is at the stage where they completely understand all the macro and micro nutrients that meat provides and are confident that supplements can match that, then go for it.
As for me, I don't quite have that confidence.
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#24This is nothing but conjecture, but my suspicion is that neurotically conscientious people are more likely to become vegan, and also more likely to be depressed and anxious.
Interesting suspicion. What atypical mind states are associated with meat eating? It would have to be a very large effect given 95‰ of the US eats meat. I think the opposite is more likely. Atypical mind states are associated with veganism and the mood disorders.
To clarify, when I said "neurotically conscientious" I was referring to two of the traits in the Big 5 personality assessment scheme--neoroticism and conscientiousness. So not an "atypical mind state" so much as an ingrained way of viewing the world.
So in response to "what personality traits would you associate with meat eaters?" I would say, closer to average levels of neuroticism and conscientiousness, and hence also closer to average levels of anxiety and depression.
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#25Makes me concerned about the pressure to abstain from eating meat that I've been seeing recently. I wonder if, as a species, the trend away from meat eating will be to our collective detriment.
Not eating meat is one of the major things a person can do to reduce their carbon footprint, so I would imagine more people giving up meat would be very helpful collectively.
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#26This is nothing but conjecture, but my suspicion is that neurotically conscientious people are more likely to become vegan, and also more likely to be depressed and anxious.
Interesting suspicion. What atypical mind states are associated with meat eating? It would have to be a very large effect given 95‰ of the US eats meat. I think the opposite is more likely. Atypical mind states are associated with veganism and the mood disorders.
A significant portion appear to be feel threatened by (or at least, intensely concerned by) others' personal dietary habits. Paranoia? Megalomania?
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#27I'd say the first big thing to highlight is that correlation is not causation - you wouldn't want someone to take this study as proof that eating meat makes you less depressed. I would imagine that vegans (in particular vegans who chose their diet on ethical grounds) are overall more concerned about the state of the world around them - or are at least subjected to more of an echo-chamber effect from their peers - whi…
Heh, without reading the article, I thought "correlation isn't causation" and clicked into the comments to see if anyone else who read the article thought so, too. And I see you at the top of the comments. It's nice to know I'm not alone.
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#28I'd say the first big thing to highlight is that correlation is not causation - you wouldn't want someone to take this study as proof that eating meat makes you less depressed. I would imagine that vegans (in particular vegans who chose their diet on ethical grounds) are overall more concerned about the state of the world around them - or are at least subjected to more of an echo-chamber effect from their peers - whi…
It is easy to lack some vitamins or nutrients while going on a vegan diet. Some of them have an impact on mental health.
Unless you are very comited into calculating your intake in every mineral and vitamin, I would recommend to take some supplements if you are going vegan (which is something I support but did not totally go through yet)
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#29"People incapable of guilt usually do have a good time." - True Detective
Disclaimer: I eat meat, just less these days :).
Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety
#30I'd say the first big thing to highlight is that correlation is not causation - you wouldn't want someone to take this study as proof that eating meat makes you less depressed. I would imagine that vegans (in particular vegans who chose their diet on ethical grounds) are overall more concerned about the state of the world around them - or are at least subjected to more of an echo-chamber effect from their peers - whi…
I wonder if more bioavailable B vitamins from a meat-heavy diet has anything to do with it.
Vegetarian diets, as I understand the common saying, need to actively contain or be supplemented with B vitamin sources.
If you're veg but live on nutrient-poor junk food, I could see nutritional deficiencies entering the mix. I think it's relatively uncontroversial that malnutrition has mental health side effects.