This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether vegetarian or vegan diets (VVDs) are associated with higher eating disorder (ED) symptoms compared to omnivorous diets across the lifespan, pooling 24 cross-sectional studies (n=25,223; mean age range 14.9–49.6 years; 67.7% female).
No significant difference in ED symptoms was found between VVD followers and omnivores (SMD = 0.07; 95% CI: −0.04 to 0.19; I² = 80.3%; prediction interval: −0.44 to 0.59). In adult-only analyses, a higher proportion of females in a study was associated with *lower* ED symptom scores among VVD followers vs. omnivores (p = 0.028).
- All 24 included studies are cross-sectional, preventing causal inference. - High heterogeneity (I² = 80.3%) limits precision of pooled estimates. - Key confounders (dietary quality, duration of adherence, dietary motivations, psychosocial factors) were not accounted for across studies.
Clinicians need not assume that vegetarian or vegan diets inherently signal greater eating disorder risk — current evidence shows no significant difference in ED symptoms versus omnivorous diets. Longitudinal data are needed before drawing firm conclusions, so screening should focus on individual motivations and behaviors rather than diet label alone.
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