Is She Vegan or Anorexic? 3 Signs to Watch Out For

Some people call veganism the new anorexia. With the elimination of animal-based foods such as milk, cheese and meat, vegans have a hard time finding a nutritious meal meeting their dietary guidelines, which is advantageous for anorexics. Many anorexics use vegan diets to hide their food problems, leaving many people-and real vegans-frustrated.

On the contrary, the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine shows that vegan and vegetarian teenagers were four times more likely to use extreme dieting methods. They were also eight times as likely to abuse laxatives, a common behavior associated with purging anorexia nervosa.

Not all vegan teenagers become anorexic, however. Veganism can be a healthy lifestyle choice if done for the right reasons. If you are having trouble figuring out if your teenager is vegan or anorexic, here are 3 signs to watch out for:

Sign 1#: She avoids eating food prepared by a family member, even if it is vegan.

Answer: There is no reason why vegans would refuse clearly vegan meals-this usually indicates she is concerned about its caloric or fat content. Anorexics will use any excuse to avoid eating, be it a vegan diet, a sudden stomach ache or suddenly becoming preoccupied with an activity. But whatever you do, don't force your teenager to eat: it only reinforces negative behavior and increases anxiety, making her anorexia worse.

Sign 2#: She also eliminates other vegan food essentials, such as tofu, nuts and pasta.

Answer: Vegans rarely eliminate essentials from their diet-it helps them stay healthy while filling them up. Some vegans may not like certain foods, but if she begins eliminating several high-calorie or high-carb vegan items from her diet, it may indicate she is anorexic.

Sign 3#: She displays compulsive, ritualistic behaviors.

Answer: Whether it's eating her food in a certain way, only eating at certain times or exercising excessively, these eating behaviors are not healthy. Many anorexics develop compulsive behaviors to control their food intake. If your teenager starts controlling her food in ritualistic ways, she may be developing anorexia nervosa. Avoid drawing attention to her eating behaviors, though: criticizing her or telling her to stop can breach her "safety" zone, which anorexics develop to cope with their feelings. Destroying this barrier can make her eating behaviors worse.

Is She Vegan or Anorexic? What To Do

If your teenager displays obvious signs of anorexia-denying food on a regular basis, engaging in compulsive behaviors, being too concerned about her appearance-she may need medical intervention. Check with your local hospital for resources. Additionally, websites such as SomethingFishy.org also have resources for finding treatment for vegan anorexics. Force feeding her or ending her vegan diet will only escalate matters, but professional treatment can help her heal.

Sources:
"Vegetarian or Anorexic?" (HealthyPlace.com)