SNDT WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY
BMK Knowledge Resource Centre
Vithaldas Vidyavihar, Juhu Tara Road,
Santacruz (West) Mumbai - 400049
Vegan and vegetarian males and females have higher orthorexic traits than omnivores, and are motivated in their food choice by factors including ethics and weight control
Rebecca Reynolds
Vegan and vegetarian males and females have higher orthorexic traits than omnivores, and are motivated in their food choice by factors including ethics and weight control - PP439-450
Background
Evidence associating plant-based diets with the proposed ‘obsessively healthy eating’ eating disorder, orthorexia nervosa, has mostly focused on females. Diet motivations have seldom been assessed.
Aim
To compare orthorexic tendencies between vegans/vegetarians and omnivores of both sexes, and reasons behind food choice with an English-validated Food Choice Questionnaire.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey of 444 males and females were recruited via social media, email, and Amazon MTurk; to investigate eating patterns, orthorexic tendencies using the ORTO-15 questionnaire, and eating motivations using the Food Choice Questionnaire.
Results
Over half of the participants were male (53.4%), younger adults (mean ± SD 37.2 ± 11.2 years), and mostly from the United States (89%). Vegan and vegetarian eating habits were reported by 15.8% of people. Vegans/vegetarians had significantly higher orthorexic tendencies than omnivores, and chose food significantly more often for Weight Control, Ethical Concern, Natural Content, and Mood reasons. People with greater orthorexic tendencies (ORTO-15 score<35) chose food significantly more often for Weight Control and Ethical Concern reasons than those with less orthorexic tendencies (ORTO-15 score 35+).
Conclusion
This study's results are in line with the majority of the evidence that shows an association between vegan/vegetarian diets and orthorexic tendencies, but strengthens the evidence base by including more male participants. Additionally, this is the first study to use an English-validated motivation-based questionnaire that explored diet motivators in vegans/vegetarians compared to omnivories, and in those with orthorexic tendencies vs. those without orthorexic tendencies.
Vegans
vegetarians
motivation
feeding behaviour
feeding and eating disorders
orthorexia nervosa
Vegan and vegetarian males and females have higher orthorexic traits than omnivores, and are motivated in their food choice by factors including ethics and weight control - PP439-450
Background
Evidence associating plant-based diets with the proposed ‘obsessively healthy eating’ eating disorder, orthorexia nervosa, has mostly focused on females. Diet motivations have seldom been assessed.
Aim
To compare orthorexic tendencies between vegans/vegetarians and omnivores of both sexes, and reasons behind food choice with an English-validated Food Choice Questionnaire.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey of 444 males and females were recruited via social media, email, and Amazon MTurk; to investigate eating patterns, orthorexic tendencies using the ORTO-15 questionnaire, and eating motivations using the Food Choice Questionnaire.
Results
Over half of the participants were male (53.4%), younger adults (mean ± SD 37.2 ± 11.2 years), and mostly from the United States (89%). Vegan and vegetarian eating habits were reported by 15.8% of people. Vegans/vegetarians had significantly higher orthorexic tendencies than omnivores, and chose food significantly more often for Weight Control, Ethical Concern, Natural Content, and Mood reasons. People with greater orthorexic tendencies (ORTO-15 score<35) chose food significantly more often for Weight Control and Ethical Concern reasons than those with less orthorexic tendencies (ORTO-15 score 35+).
Conclusion
This study's results are in line with the majority of the evidence that shows an association between vegan/vegetarian diets and orthorexic tendencies, but strengthens the evidence base by including more male participants. Additionally, this is the first study to use an English-validated motivation-based questionnaire that explored diet motivators in vegans/vegetarians compared to omnivories, and in those with orthorexic tendencies vs. those without orthorexic tendencies.
Vegans
vegetarians
motivation
feeding behaviour
feeding and eating disorders
orthorexia nervosa