Table 3.
Proportions of females in each eating disorder recovery status group (fully recovered, partially recovered, active eating disorder) endorsing vegetarian experiences and weight-related motivations for vegetarianism
| Vegetarian Variable |
Fully Recovered (n = 19) |
Partially Recovered (n = 15) |
Active Eating Disorder (n = 52) |
Χ 2 | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ever vegetarian | 57.9%a (n = 11) |
33.3% (n = 5) |
53.8% (n = 28) |
Χ2(2, N=86) = 2.40 |
0.301 |
| Current vegetarian |
5.3% (n = 1) |
13.3% (n = 2) |
32.7% (n = 17) |
Χ2(2, N=86) = 6.87 |
0.032 (Fisher’s Exact Test p = 0.033)b |
| Primary reason for becoming vegetarian was weight-related |
22.2% (n = 2) |
50.0% (n = 2) |
46.4% (n = 13) |
Χ2(2, N=41) = 1.78 |
0.411 (Fisher’s Exact Test p = 0.471) |
a
The percentages represent the percentage endorsing “yes” to having ever been vegetarian (broadly defined, involving cutting out some or all meat from one’s diet) and “yes” to currently being vegetarian, as well as the percentages who reported that they became vegetarian primarily for weight-related reasons.
b
When one or more cells had an expected count less than 5, Fisher’s Exact Test is reported in addition to Chi square statistics.