Vegetarianism, dietary restraint and feminist identity

ObjectiveResearch examining the relationship between dietary restraint and vegetarianism has yielded inconsistent results due to differing definitions of vegetarianism and the possible modifying role of feminist identity. The current study sought to further clarify these relationships by examining three levels of vegetarianism, motivation for vegetarianism, and feminist identity (using an updated measure).MethodParticipants were 90 female undergraduate students and community members (mean age = 24.34 years). Dietary restraint was measured using the TFEQ; feminism was assessed using the LFAIS.ResultsWeight-motivated semi-vegetarians reported higher levels of dietary restraint than those not motivated by weight. This effect did not appear among full-vegetarians. Lowest levels of dietary restraint were found among full-vegetarians with no difference between non- and semi-vegetarians. Contrary to previous research, feminist identity did not moderate the relationship between dietary restraint and vegetarianism.DiscussionLimitations resulting from a scale with a narrow definition of feminism and the use of multiple sources of recruitment are discussed. Directions for future research are highlighted.