New studies suggest that while veganism generally supports well-being, its rule-based nature can quietly intensify disordered-eating risks for people driven by weight or perfectionist motives.
Veganism no longer belongs to fringe potlucks and Reddit threads. It’s the menu default at Silicon Valley cafeterias, the star of Beyoncé’s pre-tour meal plan, and a staple in supermarket freezer aisles from Dubai to Des Moines.
As adoption climbs—roughly 4 percent of U.S. adults describe themselves as vegan in 2025, up from 1 percent in 2014—researchers have intensified their scrutiny of vegan eating patterns and mental health. They’re asking a tough but necessary question:
Does cutting animal products bolster planetary and personal well-being at the expense of a balanced relationship with food?
Below, we unpack the latest evidence, flag the nuances that headlines miss, and lay out a five-step guardrail plan that lets you keep the plants and the peace of mind.
The research snapshot: risk is real—but not universal
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Most vegans appear psychologically healthy. A 2023 JAMA Network Open study of 971 self-identified vegans found that 94 percent landed in the lowest risk category for disordered-eating attitudes. In short, the average tofu lover is doing just fine.
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Yet eating-disorder clinics tell a different story. Meta-reviews report that 45–54 percent of patients with anorexia nervosa describe themselves as vegetarian or vegan, compared with single-digit percentages in the general population.
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Orthorexia sits at the crossroads. A 2025 Nutrients review concluded there is a positive association between strict plant-based eating and orthorexic traits (an obsessive fixation on “clean” foods), while stressing that ethical restraint should not be pathologized wholesale.
The upshot? Veganism doesn’t cause disordered eating, but its clear-cut rules can offer camouflage—or even fuel—for people already vulnerable to food obsession.
Digging deeper: Why motivation matters more than labels
When psychologists control for why someone goes vegan, risk numbers shift dramatically. Climate or animal-welfare motives correlate with better body-image scores, while weight-control motives correlate with higher dissatisfaction and rigidity. The same salad can nourish activism or anxiety depending on the mental story it tells.
Quick gut-check: If you’re honest, what’s the first word that pops up when you imagine slipping and eating cheese—“cruelty,” “carbon,” or “calories”? That reflex is a better risk barometer than the ingredients on your grocery list.
The personality factor: identity fusion and perfectionist traits
A 2023 cross-sectional survey of nearly 400 plant-based eaters found that perfectionism and rigid “dietary identity” predicted poorer sleep and higher anxiety, independent of actual nutrient intake.
When “vegan” becomes the core of self-worth, even minor deviations feel like moral collapse, nudging vulnerable personalities toward restrictive spirals.
Screening without stigma: the rise of the V-EDS
Classic eating-disorder questionnaires mis-flag ethical choices (like skipping yogurt) as caloric avoidance. Enter the Vegetarian–Vegan Eating Disorder Screener (V-EDS)—an 18-item tool developed in 2024 that correctly distinguishes value-driven restraint from pathology.
A follow-up validation study suggests a cut-off score of 18 points delivers 80 percent sensitivity and 84 percent specificity.
Bottom line: Annual self-screens (or clinician screens) can catch subtle rigidity before it morphs into a full-blown disorder.
Story time: When good intentions slip
Meet Mara, a 28-year-old graphic designer who went vegan during college after binge-watching climate documentaries. At first, she felt energized; her grocery cart brimmed with colorful produce and bulk-bin lentils.
Fast-forward five years: work stress skyrocketed, perfectionist streaks sharpened, and her “eco-friendly” diet quietly contracted. Oil, gluten, and fruit sugar vanished. Social dinners became minefields.
When Mara fainted during a client presentation, a dietitian’s V-EDS flagged severe risk. With therapy, B12 supplementation, and re-introducing once-taboo vegan pastries, Mara regained both health and the capacity to speak about sustainability without flinching at brunch menus.
Mara’s trajectory mirrors the data: it wasn’t veganism per se that tipped the scales—it was unchecked rigidity hiding behind a planet-first rationale.
Red flags on a plant-based plate
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Rule creep: You start banning foods beyond animal products—first oil, then bread, then bananas “because sugar.”
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Social shrinkage: Shared meals prompt panic or elaborate avoidance stories.
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Identity fusion: Slip-ups trigger shame spirals, not mild annoyance.
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Body-checking meets #CleanEating hashtags: Progress photos crowd your camera roll.
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Nutrition takes a back seat to rules: Fatigue or hair loss is shrugged off because “purity” trumps well-being.
Two or more? Time for professional input—especially if weight control is the unspoken driver.
The bigger “why”: health, climate, community synergy
Balanced vegans remain the movement’s best ambassadors. Burnout from malnutrition drains activist energy, while thriving role models multiply the ripple effect: friends try Meatless Mondays, cafeterias expand plant-rich options, and policy conversations accelerate. Protecting your mental health isn’t selfish—it’s mission insurance.
What the press is flagging
In March 2025 The Washington Post dubbed orthorexia the “next public-health eating-disorder frontier,” citing a jump in clinic referrals and the algorithmic amplification of “clean eating” reels. Experts called for earlier screening, social-media literacy modules in schools, and clearer diagnostic criteria.
Where science is heading next
Longitudinal cohorts now shadow school-age vegetarians into their thirties to untangle chicken-or-egg causation: Do perfectionists choose rigid diets, or can rigid diets seed perfectionism?
Preliminary adolescent data hints at both—personality traits set the stage, while diet rules supply the script. Expect more granular answers (and perhaps phenotype-specific screening tools) within the decade.
Resource roundup
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National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): Free helpline and therapist directories.
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Plant-Based Dietitian Index (PBDI) app: Tracks nutrient adequacy without calorie fixation.
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Climate Cafés: Community meet-ups that center planetary wins, not plate policing.
The takeaway
Veganism remains one of the most powerful levers for slashing carbon footprints and animal suffering. The bulk of evidence shows plant-based eaters enjoy similar—or even better—mental health compared with omnivores.
Still, a non-trivial minority risk sliding into obsessive territory, especially when weight or perfectionism underpins the choice.
Stay motive-aware, screen early, practice deliberate flexibility, and remember: a thriving advocate does more for the planet than a malnourished martyr. Your body and the climate can win the same game—if the playbook leaves room for joy.
