Two of the most common mental health disorders worldwide are depression and anxiety. One of the factors that could be linked to the onset of these two conditions is diet.
Due to the absence of animal-derived products, vegetarian or vegan diets carry a higher risk of certain nutritional deficiencies. They have been shown to provide low amounts of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and zinc. In addition, although the iron intake of vegetarian diets tends to be fairly similar to that of non-vegetarian diets, the bioavailability of iron from vegetarian diets is lower due to the absence of heme iron. Vegan diets, meanwhile, also show lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), as well as a lower intake of vitamin B12 and calcium compared to people who include meat in their diet.
A study concluded that a pattern of abstaining from meat consumption is clearly associated with poorer mental health, specifically with higher levels of depression and anxiety.
The link between depression and vegetarianism appears to be related to a reduced intake of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, folate, iron, or zinc. Another potential factor could be elevated levels of phytoestrogens, as well as higher levels of pesticide metabolites, resulting from increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and soy.
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