Brazilian vegetarians diet quality markers and comparison with the general population : a nationwide cross-sectional study

Background Vegetarianism is an increasingly common practice worldwide. Despite good evidence from other countries regarding vegetarians’ diet quality, data from the Brazilian population is still scarce. Objective To characterize the vegetarian Brazilian population and evaluate their diet quality compared to the general Brazilian population. Methods We performed a nationwide cross-sectional study using an online self-administered questionnaire, previously validated for the Brazilian population, to evaluate diet quality markers of vegetarians. The invitation to participate in the survey was spread nationwide, aimed at vegetarian communities. Individuals who considered themselves vegetarians and were at least 18 years old were eligible to participate. The results on regular intake and intake adequacy were compared among vegetarians and between genders using the Pearson’s chi-square test. The body mass index (BMI) were analyzed by the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey post-hoc test. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test verified normality. All analyses considered bilateral hypotheses and a significance level of 5% (p <0.05). Results Brazilian vegetarians presented better diet quality markers, such as higher regular weekly intake and adequate daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and lower regular intake of soft drinks when compared to the general Brazilian population. Vegetarians also presented a proportionally higher consumption of natural foods and lower consumption of processed foods. Among vegetarians, a higher proportion of vegans showed positive results regarding diet markers analysis, when compared to vegetarians, pesco-vegetarians, and semi-vegetarians. Conclusions Vegetarians showed better results of diet adequacy when compared to the general population in Brazil, and vegans fared better when compared with other vegetarians. Despite the good results found, a large proportion of the participants still did not achieve the fruits and vegetables daily intake, according to the World Health Organization recommendations

Brazilian vegetarian population — influence of type of diet, motivation and sociodemographic variables on quality of life measured by specific tool (VEGQOL)

The adoption of a vegetarian diet has been associated with positive health outcomes. However, few studies evaluate the effect of this eating pattern on quality of life. Moreover, no specific instrument for the vegetarian population to measure the quality of life is available worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to elaborate and validate a specific questionnaire to measure the quality of life in vegetarians. The Specific Vegetarian Quality of Life Questionnaire (VEGQOL) was constructed based on other instruments and studies related to vegetarianism. The content and semantic validation were performed by a group of experts, followed by a pilot study to evaluate the questionnaire acceptability and reproducibility. Discriminant validation was tested using the WHOQOL as the gold standard measure (Pearson correlation ranging from 0.302 of the domain 3 to 0.392 of the domain 2). Afterward, a nationwide survey was conducted using VEGQOL. Content and semantic validation selected 19 of the initial 30 items. VEGQOL presented good reproducibility (Cohen’s Kappa coefficient ranging from 0.361 to 0.730 and intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.820) and internal consistency (0.708), both adequate to evaluate the quality of life in vegetarians. The sample size (n = 5014 individuals, error of 3% at a level of significance of 5%) and distribution was representative of the Brazilian vegetarian population. In general, the quality of life of Brazilian vegetarians was considered satisfactory (VEGQOL cut off points 70–80). Among different types of vegetarians, the vegans showed better results with a VEGQOL mean value of 79.2 ± 10.7. Older individuals, the ones who adopted the diet for a longer time (VEGQOL mean value of 75.8 ± 12.7) and the ones who had other vegetarians in their social network (VEGQOL mean value of 74.6 ± 12.2) also had a better quality of life score. Individuals who adopted it for ethical or health reasons had a higher quality of life score. The questionnaire produced in this study is a useful tool for future research in this area. Results were better for vegans and for the ones who adopt the diet for ethical or health reasons

Quality of life of vegetarians during the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil

Health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic can negatively impact quality of life (QoL) due to higher levels of stress, social isolation, and uncertainties. In this scenario, distinct population groups might react differently. Vegetarians, who follow a non-conventional dietary pattern, could be more vulnerable to the abrupt changes in normal life routine and economic instability. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating if the current pandemic situation somehow affected vegetarians’ QoL. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Brazil between 28 July and 14 September 2020 to evaluate the QoL in vegetarians during the pandemic period. Vegetarian adults replied to an online survey that included the VEGQOL and WHOQOL-BREF instruments to evaluate QoL and questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1282 individuals participated. Only 3.8% had tested positive for COVID-19, but 39.9% affirmed having a family member who tested positive for the disease. Almost half (46.3%) of the sample had an income drop due to the pandemic. Results of QoL scores in the different subcategories of vegetarians were similar to previously published data. Individuals who had already tested positive for COVID-19 had lower QoL scores than those who did not test positive, but only in the VEGQOL. QoL was lower for the participants who declared that Sars-Cov-2 had already infected a family member for almost all the parameters evaluated. On the other hand, an income drop affected QoL only partially. Studying how vegetarians are influenced by such conditions contributes to the generation of relevant data that can be used to support healthcare and public policies in the future

Quality of life of Brazilian vegetarians measured by the WHOQOL-BREF : influence of type of diet, motivation and sociodemographic data

This study aimed to evaluate the general quality of life (QoL) of Brazilian vegetarians. A cross-sectional study was conducted with Brazilian vegetarian adults (18 years old and above). Individuals were recruited to participate in a nationwide online survey that comprised the WHOQOL-BREF as well as sociodemographic and characterization questions related to vegetarianism. The WHOQOL-BREF is composed of 24 items which are divided into four domains (domain 1: physical health; domain 2: psychological well-being; domain 3: social relationships; and domain 4: environment), plus two general items which were analyzed separately, totaling 26 items. The answers from the questionnaire were converted into scores with a 0–100 scale range, with separate analyses for each domain. Results were compared among groups based on the different characteristics of the vegetarian population. A total of 4375 individuals completed the survey. General average score results were 74.67 (domain 1), 66.71 (domain 2), 63.66 (domain 3) and 65.76 (domain 4). Vegans showed better scores when compared to the other vegetarians, except in domain four, where the statistical difference was observed only for semi-vegetarians (lower score). Individuals adopting a vegetarian diet for longer (>1 year) showed better results for domains one and two, with no difference for the other domains. Having close people also adopting a vegetarian diet positively influenced the results for all domains. On the other hand, it was not possible to distinguish any clear influence of the motivation for adopting a vegetarian diet on the scores’ results. Adopting a vegetarian diet does not have detrimental effects on one’s QoL. In fact, the more plant-based the diet, and the longer it was adopted, the better the results were

Brazilian Vegetarian Population—Influence of Type of Diet, Motivation and Sociodemographic Variables on Quality of Life Measured by Specific Tool (VEGQOL)

The adoption of a vegetarian diet has been associated with positive health outcomes. However, few studies evaluate the effect of this eating pattern on quality of life. Moreover, no specific instrument for the vegetarian population to measure the quality of life is available worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to elaborate and validate a specific questionnaire to measure the quality of life in vegetarians. The Specific Vegetarian Quality of Life Questionnaire (VEGQOL) was constructed based on other instruments and studies related to vegetarianism. The content and semantic validation were performed by a group of experts, followed by a pilot study to evaluate the questionnaire acceptability and reproducibility. Discriminant validation was tested using the WHOQOL as the gold standard measure (Pearson correlation ranging from 0.302 of the domain 3 to 0.392 of the domain 2). Afterward, a nationwide survey was conducted using VEGQOL. Content and semantic validation selected 19 of the initial 30 items. VEGQOL presented good reproducibility (Cohen&rsquo;s Kappa coefficient ranging from 0.361 to 0.730 and intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.820) and internal consistency (0.708), both adequate to evaluate the quality of life in vegetarians. The sample size (n = 5014 individuals, error of 3% at a level of significance of 5%) and distribution was representative of the Brazilian vegetarian population. In general, the quality of life of Brazilian vegetarians was considered satisfactory (VEGQOL cut off points 70&ndash;80). Among different types of vegetarians, the vegans showed better results with a VEGQOL mean value of 79.2 &plusmn; 10.7. Older individuals, the ones who adopted the diet for a longer time (VEGQOL mean value of 75.8 &plusmn; 12.7) and the ones who had other vegetarians in their social network (VEGQOL mean value of 74.6 &plusmn; 12.2) also had a better quality of life score. Individuals who adopted it for ethical or health reasons had a higher quality of life score. The questionnaire produced in this study is a useful tool for future research in this area. Results were better for vegans and for the ones who adopt the diet for ethical or health reasons

Dietas vegetarianas de adultos no Brasil : caracterização e avaliação da qualidade alimentar e nutricional

Dissertação (mestrado) — Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Nutrição, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição Humana, 2019.O vegetarianismo vem se tornando uma prática alimentar cada vez mais comum no Brasil e no mundo. Os tipos de dietas vegetarianas, bem como as motivações para a adoção desse padrão alimentar, variam consideravelmente entre os indivíduos que adotam essa prática. Apesar de haver estudos demonstrando os benefícios do vegetarianismo à saúde humana, bem como estudos que avaliam a qualidade de dietas vegetarianas em outros países, questões relacionadas à influência do vegetarianismo na qualidade alimentar e perfil nutricional no Brasil ainda precisam ser respondidas, tendo em vista a escassez de dados e o possível aumento no risco de deficiências nutricionais causado pela restrição alimentar. O presente estudo teve como objetivo, portanto, avaliar a qualidade alimentar e o perfil nutricional de vegetarianos adultos no Brasil. Foi realizada uma pesquisa transversal quantitativa por meio de um questionário específico para a população brasileira, autoaplicado de forma virtual, em amostra de conveniência. Posteriormente, foi feita a análise dos dados a partir da comparação com dados da população brasileira avaliados pelo mesmo instrumento, além de comparação entre as diferentes variáveis associadas à dieta vegetariana: tipo de dieta, tempo de adoção, motivação para adoção da dieta e convívio com outras pessoas vegetarianas. Os parâmetros avaliados foram: (a) índice de massa corporal (IMC), calculado com base em peso e altura referidos; (b) consumo regular de frutas e vegetais (crus e cozidos), considerada adequada a frequência de, no mínimo, cinco vezes por semana; (c) consumo diário adequado de frutas e vegetais, determinado pela ingestão de pelo menos cinco porções de furtas e vegetais diariamente, de acordo com as recomendações da Organização Mundial da Saúde; (d) consumo regular de refrigerantes, ou seja, em cinco ou mais dias da semana, usado como marcador negativo de qualidade da dieta; e (e) consumo de alimentos in natura e alimentos processados no dia anterior, avaliado de acordo com as recomendações do Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira. Os dados foram analisados por meio de: (a) análise de variância (ANOVA) seguida de teste post hoc de Tukey; (b-e) teste qui-quadrado de Pearson, para as análises entre as diferentes variáveis associadas à dieta vegetariana, e comparação dos intervalos de confiança, para as análises comparativas entre os resultados do estudo e dados da população geral brasileira. Todas as análises consideraram um nível de significância de 5% (p <0,05). A amostra obtida foi de 1369 indivíduos, dos quais 90% eram mulheres, com representatividade em todo o território nacional e IMC médio de 22,64kg/m2. Quanto ao tipo de dieta, a mais prevalente foi a vegetariana, adotada por 50,5% dos indivíduos, seguida da vegana, adotada por 36,0% da amostra. A principal motivação para a adoção do vegetarianismo foi “ética/moral”, relatada por 6,4% da amostra, seguida por “saúde”, relatada por 12,0% dos participantes. Quando comparados aos dados da população geral brasileira, os resultados da pesquisa demostraram que vegetarianos apresentam melhores níveis de IMC, além de melhores marcadores de qualidade alimentar. Observou-se uma prevalência de excesso de peso e obesidade de 20,2% e 5,6%, respectivamente, na amostra do estudo, valores muito mais baixos que os observados na população brasileira (54,0% e 18,9, respectivamente). Quanto à qualidade alimentar, observouse maior proporção de indivíduos com ingestão semanal regular de frutas e vegetais em comparação à população brasileira (66,5% versus 34,6%), e de ingestão diária adequada de frutas e vegetais (34,6% versus 23,7%). Foi encontrada também menor ingestão semanal regular de refrigerantes, que é considerado um marcador negativo de qualidade alimentar, por estar associado a outros parâmetros de baixa qualidade da dieta. Na amostra do estudo, 2,9% dos indivíduos relataram um consumo regular de refrigerantes, ao passo que, na população brasileira, 14,6% apresentam consumo regular. Por meio da análise de consumo de alimentos no dia anterior, observou-se que os participantes atendem às principais recomendações do Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira, com maior proporção de consumo de alimentos in natura e menor de alimentos processados. Entre os subgrupos de vegetarianos, os veganos tenderam a apresentar maior proporção de indivíduos com marcadores positivos de qualidade nutricional que vegetarianos, pescovegetarianos e semivegetarianos. Naqueles que relataram adotar a dieta por motivos de saúde, foi observada maior proporção de indivíduos com ingestão semanal regular e ingestão diária adequada de frutas e vegetais, quando comparados àqueles que adotam a dieta por motivos éticos/morais. A partir do estudo concluiu-se, portanto, que vegetarianos apresentam melhor adequação da dieta quando comparados à população geral brasileira, com veganos apresentando melhores resultados em comparação a outros tipos de vegetarianos.Vegetarianism has become an increasingly common food practice in Brazil and around the world. The types of vegetarian diets, as well as the motivations for adopting this dietary pattern, vary considerably among individuals who adopt this practice. Although there are studies demonstrating the health benefits of vegetarianism, as well as studies evaluating the nutritional quality of vegetarian diets in other countries, questions regarding the influence of vegetarianism on food and nutritional quality in Brazil still need to be answered, given the scarce data available and the possible increase in the risk of nutritional deficiencies caused by food restrictions. The present study aimed to evaluate the food quality and nutritional profile of vegetarian individuals in Brazil. A cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out on a convenience sample, with a virtual self-applied questionnaire specific for the Brazilian population. Afterwards, the results were analyzed and compared to data on the general population in Brazil evaluated by the same instrument. A comparison was also carried out among different characteristics related to the vegetarian diet: type of diet, time of adoption, motivation for diet adoption and whether or not an individual socializes with other vegetarians. The following parameters were evaluated: (a) body mass index (BMI), calculated on the basis of the referred weight and height; (b) regular consumption of fruits and vegetables (raw and cooked), deemed appropriate when the frequency was at least five times a week; (c) adequate daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, determined by the ingestion of at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, in accordance with the World Health Organization’s recommendations; (d) regular consumption of soft drinks, used as a negative marker of diet quality, which considers regular consumption the intake ok soft drinks on five or more days of the week; and (e) consumption of natural and processed foods the previous day, evaluated according to the recommendations of the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population. Data were analyzed by: (a) analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey post hoc test; (b-e) Pearson's chi-square test for the analysis of the different variables associated with the vegetarian diet; and comparison of the confidence intervals for the comparative analyses between the study results and data from the Brazilian general population. All analyses considered a significance level of 5% (p <0.05). A sample of 1369 individuals was obtained, made up of 90% of women, with representatives throughout the national territory, and a mean BMI of 22.64kg/m2. Regarding the type of diet, the most prevalent was the vegetarian, adopted by 50.5% of the individuals, followed by the vegan, adopted by 36.0% of the sample. The main motivation for adopting vegetarianism was "ethical/moral reasons", reported by 66.4% of the sample, followed by "health", reported by 12.0% of the participants. When compared to data on the general Brazilian population, the results of the study showed that vegetarians have lower prevalence of overweight and obesity, as well as better markers of nutritional quality. The observed prevalence of overweight and obesity was 20.2% and 5.6%, respectively, in the study sample, values much lower than those observed in the Brazilian population, of 54.0% and 18.9%. Regarding food quality, the study found a higher proportion of individuals with a regular weekly intake of fruits and vegetables compared to the Brazilian population (66.5% versus 34.6%) and adequate daily intake of fruits and vegetables (34.6% % vs. 23.7%). There was also a lower weekly intake of regular soft drinks, which is considered a negative marker of food quality, because it is associated with other parameters of poor diet quality. In the study sample, 2.9% of subjects reported regular consumption of soft drinks, while in the general Brazilian population, 14.6% reported regular consumption. The analysis of food consumption on the previous day showed that the participants meet the main recommendations of the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population, with a higher proportion of natural foods and lower proportion of processed foods. Among the subgroups of vegetarians, vegans tended to present a higher proportion of individuals with positive markers of food quality than vegetarians, pescovegetarians, and semivegetarians. In those who reported adopting the diet for health reasons, a higher proportion of individuals with a regular weekly intake and adequate daily intake of fruits and vegetables was observed when compared to those who adopt the diet for ethical/moral reasons. From the study it was concluded, therefore, that vegetarians present better dietary adequacy when compared to the general Brazilian population, with vegans presenting better results in comparison to other types of vegetarians.Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde (FS)Departamento de Nutrição (FS NUT)Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição Human

Avaliação da qualidade de vida de pessoas vegetarianas, aspectos conceituais e fatores associados

Tese (doutorado) — Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós Graduação em Nutrição Humana, 2021.Introdução: Dados a respeito dos impactos do vegetarianismo na qualidade de vida dos indivíduos ao redor do mundo ainda são escassos, apesar de diversos estudos avaliarem os efeitos de dietas vegetarianas na saúde e adequação nutricional. Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida de pessoas vegetarianas no Brasil, aspectos conceituais do vegetarianismo e fatores associados. Métodos: Este estudo foi composto das etapas de desenvolvimento, validação e aplicação de um questionário específico para avaliar a qualidade de vida de adultos vegetarianos no Brasil. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa de caráter transversal e quantitativo por meio de questionário aplicado de forma virtual em amostra com representatividade em todo o território nacional, em duas etapas (antes e durante a pandemia de covid-19). Foi desenvolvido um questionário específico de avaliação de qualidade de vida de pessoas vegetarianas (VEGQOL). Sua validação passou pelas seguintes etapas: (a) validação semântica e de conteúdo (por meio da técnica de juízes); (b) aceitabilidade do questionário (pela aferição de itens faltantes); (c) reprodutibilidade (por meio do teste-reteste); (d) consistência interna (por alfa de Cronbach); e (e) validação discriminante. O questionário final utilizado na pesquisa foi composto de três partes: (a) dados sociodemográficos; (b) questionário de qualidade de vida específico para pessoas vegetarianas (VEGQOL) e (c) questionário de qualidade de vida geral (WHOQOL-BREF). O questionário foi aplicado a uma amostra representativa da população vegetariana brasileira para que pudesse ser traçado seu perfil de qualidade de vida. Posteriormente, os resultados do VEGQOL foram analisados por meio de um sistema de pontuação que permitisse determinar e comparar a qualidade de vida dos diferentes subgrupos da amostra, e os resultados do WHOQOL-BREF foram analisados conforme a descrição da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS): os quatro domínios (físico, psicológico, relações sociais e meio ambiente) geram pontuações que são analisadas separadamente. Resultados: Foram publicados quatro artigos em revistas indexadas: (1) “Vegetarian Diet: An Overview through the Perspective of Quality of Life Domains”; (2) “Brazilian Vegetarian Population—Influence of Type of Diet, Motivation and Sociodemographic Variables on Quality of Life Measured by Specific Tool (VEGQOL)”; (3)“Quality of Life of Brazilian Vegetarians Measured by the WHOQOL-BREF: Influence of Type of Diet, Motivation and Sociodemographic Data” e; (4) “Quality of Life of Vegetarians during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil”. E um artgo está submetido: “Definition of Plant-based and Vegetarian Diets”. A validação do VEGQOL apresentou boa reprodutibilidade e consistência interna, sendo possível definir os pontos de corte das suas pontuações em amostra representativa da população vegetariana brasileira e avaliar sua qualidade de vida, considerada satisfatória. Entre os indivíduos vegetarianos, os veganos obtiveram as pontuações mais altas, assim como as pessoas mais velhas, aquelas adeptas da dieta há mais tempo, e as que conviviam com outras pessoas vegetarianas. A avaliação por meio do WHOQOL-BREF gerou resultados semelhantes, sendo que conviver com outras pessoas vegetarianas influenciou positivamente a qualidade de vida em todos os domínios considerados. A segunda etapa de aplicação da pesquisa — durante a pandemia de covid-19 — revelou resultados comparáveis aos obtidos na primeira aplicação. No entanto, nessa etapa, pessoas que tiveram familiares infectados pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2 apresentaram pontuações mais baixas em quase todos os parâmetros avaliados. A redução de renda durante a crise provocada pela pandemia afetou parcialmente a qualidade de vida dessa população. Conclusão: O instrumento desenvolvido (VEGQOL) mostrou-se viável e válido para avaliar a qualidade de vida de pessoas vegetarianas no Brasil, que foi considerada satisfatória, antes e durante a pandemia. O instrumento desenvolvido poderá ser utilizado em outros estudos, com possibilidade de tradução e validação em outros idiomas, possibilitando a geração de dados mais robustos e comparáveis entre si sobre o tema.Introduction: Data on the impacts of vegetarianism on the quality of life of people around the world are still scarce, although several studies have assessed the effects of vegetarian diets on health and nutritional adequacy. Aim: Assess the quality of life of vegetarian persons in Brazil, including conceptual aspects of vegetarianism and associated factors. Methods: This study consisted of the development, validation, and application of a specific questionnaire to assess the quality of life of vegetarian adults in Brazil. In order to do that, a cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted through an electronic questionnaire applied to a representative sample throughout the country, in two stages (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic). A specific questionnaire to assess the quality of life of vegetarian persons (VEGQOL) was developed. Its validation included the following steps: (a) semantic and content validation (using the judge validation technique); (b) questionnaire acceptability (by checking missing items); (c) reproducibility (through test-retest); (d) internal consistency (by Cronbach's alpha); and (e) discriminant validation. The final questionnaire used for the study consisted of three parts: (a) sociodemographic data; (b) specific questionnaire assessing the quality of life of vegetarian persons (VEGQOL); and (c) general quality-of-life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The questionnaire was applied to a representative sample of the Brazilian vegetarian population with a view to profiling their quality of life. Subsequently, the VEGQOL results were analyzed using a scoring system to determine and compare the quality of life of the different subgroups within the sample, and the WHOQOL-BREF results were analyzed as described by the World Health Organization (WHO): the four domains (physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment) generate scores that are analyzed separately. Results: Four articles have been published in indexed journals: (1) “Vegetarian Diet: An Overview through the Perspective of Quality of Life Domains”; (2) “Brazilian Vegetarian Population—Influence of Type of Diet, Motivation and Sociodemographic Variables on Quality of Life Measured by Specific Tool (VEGQOL)”; (3)“Quality of Life of Brazilian Vegetarians Measured by the WHOQOL-BREF: Influence of Type of Diet, Motivation and Sociodemographic Data” e; (4) “Quality of Life of Vegetarians during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil”. In addition, a fifth article has already been submitted: “Definition of Plant-based and Vegetarian Diets”. The VEGQOL validation showed good reproducibility and internal consistency. It enabled the definition of cutoff points for its scores in a representative sample of the Brazilian vegetarian population, as well as an assessment of their quality of life, which was considered satisfactory. Among vegetarian persons, vegans achieved the highest scores, as well as older people; those who had been following a vegetarian diet for longer; and those who lived with other vegetarians. The WHOQOL-BREF evaluation generated similar results, and living with other vegetarians positively influenced the quality of life in all domains considered. The second stage of the study — during the covid-19 pandemic — revealed comparable results to those obtained in the first stage. However, during this stage, people whose relatives had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 presented lower scores for almost all parameters. Income losses during the pandemic partially affected the quality of life of this population. Conclusion: The developed instrument (VEGQOL) proved to be viable and valid to assess the quality of life of vegetarian persons in Brazil, which was considered satisfactory, both before and during the pandemic. VEGQOL may be used in other studies, and may be translated into and validated in other languages, thus enabling the generation of more robust and mutually comparable data on this subject

Vegetarian Diet: An Overview through the Perspective of Quality of Life Domains

Vegetarianism has gained more visibility in recent years. Despite the well-described effects of a vegetarian diet on health, its influence on the quality of life of the individuals who follow it still needs to be properly investigated. Quality of life relates to a subjective perception of well-being and functionality, and encompasses four main life domains: physical, psychological, social, and environmental. The adoption of a vegetarian diet, despite being a dietary pattern, could potentially influence and be influenced by all of these domains, either positively or negatively. This review aims to present an overview of the background, conceptualization, features, and potential effects of vegetarianism in all quality of life domains. The choice of adopting a vegetarian diet could have positive outcomes, such as better physical health, positive feelings related to the adoption of a morally correct attitude, an increased sense of belonging (to a vegetarian community), and lower environmental impact. Other factors, however, could have a negative impact on the quality of life of those choosing to abstain from meats or other animal products, especially when they go beyond one’s control. These include the environment, the social/cultural group in which a person is inserted, gender-based differences, economic aspects, and a limited access to a wide variety of plant-based foods. It is important to understand all the effects of adopting a vegetarian diet—beyond its nutritional aspects. Not only do studies in this area provide more consistent data, but they may also contribute to mitigating all factors that might prevent individuals from adopting a vegetarian diet, or that may have a negative impact on the quality of life of those who already follow it

Correction: Brazilian vegetarians diet quality markers and comparison with the general population: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232954.]