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Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

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Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#31
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Well, if you consider animal life to be valuable, it makes sense you that consider raising cattle for food similarly to how one would consider slavery today, and be disgusted by the results of that process.

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#33
post #22

This 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.)

So you think hunters and people tend livestock eat less meat?

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#34
post #21

Disclosure: "This study was funded in part via an unrestricted research grant from the Beef Checkoff, through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association."

I thought you were kidding, but I checked, and sure enough at the bottom: "This study was funded in part via an unrestricted research grant from the Beef Checkoff, through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The sponsor of the study had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report."

Maybe not, but how likely is it that they'll continue funding more studies if you come back with results that don't support more beef consumption?

Sorry, don't mean to be overly cynical, but .

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#35
post #5

It looks like this is a meta-analysis, and the line "Twenty studies met the selection criteria representing 171,802 participants with 157,778 meat consumers and 13,259 meat abstainers." suggests that this is a post hoc analysis so we can't rule out the most obvious confounding variable: are people who care more about externalities (e.g., as they pertain to meat eating, more likely to be depressed or anxious?

Good point. If you are concerned with animal well-being, you are probably concerned with environmental issues as well, and it is hard to not be depressed in that case.

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#36
clearly mentions "Funded by Beef Association". Sample size is 91.8% meat eaters. Clearly Biased. Be smart #GoVegan #MeatCausesCancer

1. World Health Organization - https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/cancer-carcinogenic... 2. https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/1in3cancers/lifestyle-choic...

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#38

I'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…

Good point. I wish people would apply your insight to housing. Denser housing leads to HIGHER prices, not lower prices. Look at NYC or Hong Kong.

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#39

clearly mentions "Funded by Beef Association". Sample size is 91.8% meat eaters. Clearly Biased. Be smart #GoVegan #MeatCausesCancer 1. World Health Organization - https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/cancer-carcinogenic... 2. https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/1in3cancers/lifestyle-choic...

enjoy eating your bugs

Re: Meat and mental health: Meat eaters suffer less depression, anxiety

#40
post #28

I'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)

Many (most?) meat eaters are deficient in nutrients their body needs. The USDA found that only about 3% of people get their daily recommended amount of fiber. Eating meat doesn’t mean you get what your body needs
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