A new study from the University of Leeds, UK, says that vegetarian women are more likely to fracture a hip in the future. The research followed nearly 26,000 women over two decades and found that those who didn’t eat meat or fish were more than a third more likely to develop fractures at an older age.
According to the study authors, some vegetarians lack nutrients that support bone and muscle health, leading to an increased risk of hip problems. However, they emphasize that the aim of the study It is not encouraged to abandon the vegetarian diet. “As with any diet, it is important to understand the personal conditions and nutrients needed for a balanced lifestyle,” acknowledges lead researcher James Webster. BBC.
The ages of the 26,000 study participants ranged from 35 to 69 years old, and over 20 years old, the links between eating habits and health were analyzed. In the two decades of the study, 822 women in the group suffered hip fractures. who are they, 28% were vegetarians and only 1% followed a vegan lifestyle, that is, without any animal products.
The results of the study can be justified by Lack of nutrients such as protein or calcium, which are more abundant in meat than plants, James Webster believes. “Lack of intake of these nutrients can lead to decreased bone mineral density and muscle mass, which in people most susceptible to hip damage,” he explains.
To maintain good bone health, the scientists involved in the project advise women to maintain a healthy weight — taking special care with a low BMI — to exercise and boost nutrients like vitamin B12.
The study is part of a broader investigation into bone and muscle health in old age. “More research needs to be done to understand the role of body weight, and to identify reasons that explain the differences between vegetarians and meat eaters,” says co-author Darren Greenwood.
Professor of Nutrition Janet Kidd, who is also a study co-author, believes it would be particularly interesting to understand the “potential risks posed by diets without animal products in the long term” and “what can be done to mitigate” these effects.
The researchers add that it remains to be seen whether the result will be similar when the study is simulated among male participants.
But this isn’t the first study to provide this information: in 2020D., public health and nutrition expert Tammy Tong of the University of Oxford, found that vegetarians were 25% more likely to fracture a hip than those who followed an omnivorous diet. The risk rose to 31% among vegetarians.
It is important to remember that the researchers in both studies emphasized this A plant-based diet has more benefits than drawbacks. “The message for vegans is not to give up on your diet, it’s healthy for other things and more environmentally friendly,” Webster encouraged, to me Watchman. Meat eaters are found to be responsible for 59% more emissions than vegetarians Another study Leeds last year.
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