Characteristics of vegetarian adolescents in a multiethnic urban population

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of adolescents' vegetarianism in a multi ethnic, urban population, and its correlates with demographic, personal, we ight-related, and behavioral factors. Methods: Self-report and anthropometric data were collected from a represen tative sample of 4746 adolescents from 31 public middle schools and high sc hools in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Students answered questions con cerning vegetarianism, food and weight, and health behaviors. Height and we ight were directly measured. Comparisons were made between self-reported ve getarians and nonvegetarians; these analyses also assessed gender and race/ ethnicity interactions. In the second set of analyses, demographic and beha vioral characteristics of more restricted and semi-vegetarians were examine d. Analyses were done by logistic regression. Results: Teenage vegetarians comprise about 6% of the sample. The vegetaria ns were more likely than nonvegetarians to be female, not black, weight- an d body-conscious, dissatisfied with their bodies, and involved in a variety of healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Vegetarians more often reported having been told by a physician that they had an eating disorder a nd were more likely to have contemplated and attempted suicide. Vegetarian males were found to be an especially high risk group for unhealthy weight c ontrol practices. Few ethnic group differences among vegetarians were noted . Adolescents who did not eat chicken and fish were at lower risk than thos e who also ate chicken and fish. Conclusions: Adolescent vegetarians are at greater risk than others for inv olvement in unhealthy and extreme weight control behaviors. Vegetarian male s are at particularly high risk. Vegetarianism among adolescents may theref ore be a signal for preventive intervention. Adolescents who choose to beco me vegetarians may also need to learn how to healthfully do so. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2001.