Vegans report less mood disturbance than omnivores

The vegetarian diet is increasingly perceived as an alternative for individuals seeking to improve their health. Vegans, particularly, have lower intakes of long‐chain n‐3 fats available primarily in fish that are critical for mental health. Recent studies investigating vegetarian mood have yielded conflicting results. We examined the relationship between self‐reported mood and intake of major plant sources of n‐3 fats (ALA) in adults attending a vegan festival. Participants (n=350) were surveyed regarding demographics, lifestyle, major ALA source intakes, and mood using the short Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Participants who reported mental disorders or use of psychotropic meds/supplements were excluded from analysis; participants were grouped according to reported animal food intake: vegans (VG n=132), vegetarians including fish (FISH n=36) or dairy/eggs (VEG n=90), and omnivores (OMN n=78). VG reported higher intakes of major ALA sources than OMN and VEG (p=.000 and p=.008; one‐way ANOVA). VG also reported lower mean anxiety and total scores than OMN (DASS‐A: 3.02±0.34 vs 4.97±.0.65, p=.014; DASS‐total:12.80±1.12 vs 19.10±2.06, p=.016). Soy intake was related to anxiety scores in vegans (r=.235, p=.008). Our data indicate that vegans have relatively high major ALA source intakes; factors influencing mood in vegans warrant further investigation. This research was supported by BenU Nutr Dept.