Dangerous Dieting

What does going veg early in life mean for you? It may mean that you’re slimmer, trimmer, and healthier—or something else entirely. A recent American Dietetic Association study revealed that young vegetarians pick up several healthy herbivorous habits such as eating more fruits and vegetables and less fat. As a result, only 17 percent of vegetarians between the ages of 15 to 23 are overweight compared to 28 percent of non-vegetarians. However, the study also found that 15 to 18-year-old vegetarians are more likely than their peers to partake in binge eating and diet-pill popping. This disparity seems to disappear with age, which suggests that some adolescents may enlist vegetarianism as a deceptive dieting ploy. While we fully support going veg at any age, we urge teen herbivores to avoid “dieting” dilemmas and focus on staying healthy.