Veganism, the dietary practice of not consuming any animal products including dairy and eggs, may be linked to eating disorders.

The correlation between vegetarian or vegan diets and eating disorders has been studied extensively in the US. According to the studies, people with eating disorders are four times more likely to follow a vegetarian diet than people with healthy eating habits.

Sixty-five per cent of anorexia patients in Western countries admit to being vegetarians. In Israel the number is 85 per cent, according to the study conducted by Rambam Medical Center.

Vegetarianism is becoming more popular in many countries, especially among young girls. The knowledge of links between health and diet is also increasing; however, the proportion of patients suffering from eating disorders is rising.

It is important to note that the study does not suggest that following a vegetarian or vegan diet leads to developing an eating disorder. Indeed, studies have shown that healthy vegetarian and vegan diets have numerous health benefits.

Unfortunately, a desire to achieve weight loss appears to be a primary reason for many switching to such diets. Vegetarian and vegan diets may also be a socially acceptable way of refusing food in different circumstances. 

“When a patient, who says he's a vegetarian, comes for eating disorder treatment, we ask them the reasons why they're vegetarian. The patient often says they want to protect rain forests and the environment. But when the patient has been cured, they often say the vegetarian diet was actually a way to reduce eating,” Pia Charpentier, executive director of Eating Disorder clinic in Finland, told Helsingin Sanomat.

According to Charpentier, people following a strict vegan diet may also have perfectionist thoughts and personality traits, which are commonly linked to eating disorders.