Dieters following vegetarian regimen have similar experiences to those who do not eliminate meat

Vegetarian Diet and losing weight

Because people are more likely to maintain a behavior if they have positive experiences when they adopt it, a group of researchers led by Lora Burke, Ph.D., sought to learn if individuals selecting a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV) diet, which includes eggs and milk but no meat, had more positive experiences in six areas that affect diet maintenance, than those who followed a more standard diet that included meat products. Dr. Burke's previous research suggests that a vegetarian diet has a positive influence on weight loss outcomes.

However, data from an 18-month study titled "Experiences Following a Low-Fat Diet Influence Dietary Maintenance," in which the Experiences Associated with Following a Low-Fat Diet (ELF) Questionnaire was administered to dieters in six-month intervals, suggests that LOV dieters and standard eaters had similar experiences during their maintenance phases.

Additionally, the ELF data, which measured experiences such as wellness, inconvenience and family support, suggested that time had greater influence on maintenance factors than did category of diet. While there was little divergence in total ELF scores between the two groups of dieters, variation within certain areas were noted. The standard group experienced a greater decline in its wellness scores over time, while the LOV group were less likely to have family support at all time points.