Are Vegetarians More Likely To Die?

Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower mortality rates from ischemic heart disease, particularly in males, and specifically for cardiovascular, renal, and endocrine diseases. However, results regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) overall are not population-based. Vegetarians have lower all-cause mortality (RR: 0.82; 95 CI: 0.72, 0.94), particularly in males. The death rates for subgroups of vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and pesco-vegetarians were all significantly lower than those of nonvegetarians.

In a pooled analysis of mortality in five prospective studies in 1999, the death rate ratio in vegetarians compared with non-vegetarians was based on a total of 8330. Vegetarian diets, a type of plant-based diet, have been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular risk factors, such as ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, stomach cancer, large bowel cancer, and more. There is convincing evidence that vegetarians have lower rates of coronary heart disease, largely explained by low LDL cholesterol.

There were no significant differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in mortality from cerebrovascular disease, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, or other cardiovascular diseases. After adjusting for age, sex, study center location, and trial arm, pesco-vegetarians were associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality than omnivores.

A new study found that adhering to a healthy plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of death from all causes and from cancer, heart disease, and early death. Being vegan or vegetarian dramatically reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and early death. However, when researchers accounted for smoking and lifestyle habits, the overall risk of all-cause mortality was not significantly different between vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Are the longest living people vegan?

Individuals residing in Blue Zones typically adhere to a diet that is largely plant-based, with 98% of their caloric intake derived from whole plant sources. This is despite the fact that they do not adhere to a vegan diet, and despite the fact that these regions are the locations where the longest-lived humans are found.

Do vegans have a higher mortality rate?

The mortality rate before age 90 in EPIC-Oxford was found to be no different between vegetarians and regular meat-eaters. This article reviews studies on cardiovascular disease and overall mortality among vegetarians. Most cohort studies examined differences between vegetarians and meat-eaters, recruiting people with similar lifestyles but different diets. Most reported a standardized mortality ratio (SMR), which shows about half the mortality rate of people under age 90. Researchers attributed most differences to lower smoking and the healthy volunteer effect, but some may have been due to a healthier diet.

Do vegetarians age faster than meat-eaters?

Research indicates that vegans who consume a high amount of fruits and vegetables have lower inflammatory markers compared to meat-eaters, which is beneficial for aging. Veganism offers numerous benefits, including the prevention and control of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, increased energy, reduced inflammation, and overall better health. However, the question remains whether vegans age better compared to meat-eaters.

Is it really healthier to be a vegetarian?

Vegetarian diets are gaining popularity due to health benefits such as reducing heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. However, some diets may be too heavy on processed foods with high calories, sugar, fat, and salt, and may not include enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nutrient-rich foods. A vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, pregnant or breastfeeding, and requires awareness of nutritional needs to plan a suitable diet.

Are vegetarians more likely to have heart disease than meat-eaters?

A study found that both plant-based and vegetarian diets are associated with a lower risk of cancer and ischemic heart disease, particularly prostate and gastrointestinal cancers. Vegetarian diets were linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease death. Plant-based diets were also associated with a reduction in risk factors for heart disease and cancer, including high body weight, inflammation, and LDL cholesterol.

Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine, said that even reducing a day or two per week of animal-based consumption can have long-term benefits.

Do vegetarians have a longer life expectancy?

Researchers at Loma Linda University have found that vegetarian men live an average of 10 years longer than non-vegetarian men, with 83 years compared to 73 years. For women, being vegetarian adds an extra 6 years, bringing their life expectancy to 85 years. This research is part of the Adventist Health Study-1, a comprehensive, long-term study that tracked diets, lifestyle, and diseases among 34, 000 Seventh-day Adventists for 14 years. Adventists are ideal participants for large population studies, as they don’t smoke or drink, making it easier to understand how their lifestyle choices impact their health and longevity.

Are vegetarians generally healthier than meat-eaters?

Vegetarian diets are known for their low calorie content, lower saturated fat and cholesterol levels, and higher levels of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. They are also associated with lower cancer rates, lower risk of heart disease, and lower LDL cholesterol levels. However, it is unclear whether these health benefits are due to plant-based eating or the healthy lifestyle of most vegetarians. Vegetarians are generally more physically active and have healthier habits than non-vegetarians, and they typically have a higher socioeconomic status.

To understand the effects of diet, large, controlled studies are needed, such as one at Loma Linda University in California, where Cardiologist Dr. Gary Fraser is leading an NIH-funded team to analyze data on 96, 000 Seventh-day Adventists.

Is being a vegetarian healthier than eating meat?

Vegetarian diets are known for their low calorie content, lower saturated fat and cholesterol levels, and higher levels of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. They are also associated with lower cancer rates, lower risk of heart disease, and lower LDL cholesterol levels. However, it is unclear whether these health benefits are due to plant-based eating or the healthy lifestyle of most vegetarians. Vegetarians are generally more physically active and have healthier habits than non-vegetarians, and they typically have a higher socioeconomic status.

To understand the effects of diet, large, controlled studies are needed, such as one at Loma Linda University in California, where Cardiologist Dr. Gary Fraser is leading an NIH-funded team to analyze data on 96, 000 Seventh-day Adventists.

Who lives longer, vegans or carnivores?

There is no consensus in scientific studies that vegans live longer than meat-eaters, but studies show that vegetarians have lower incidences of chronic diseases and are more likely to die earlier than meat-eaters. Diet is a major factor in cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. However, it is important to acknowledge that vegans do get sick and die, despite the overall health benefits of eating plant-based foods. There are various types of vegans, including “junk-food vegans”, dietary vegans, raw-food vegans, whole-food vegans, and low-fat vegans.

Some vegans overstate the health benefits of veganism and promote the idea that eating vegan will make you live longer. Veganism is not just a diet but also a philosophy, movement, and lifestyle centered on being more compassionate to animals. Acknowledging that there is nothing you can do to ensure you never get sick is crucial for promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Are vegetarians more likely to be depressed than meat eaters?

A study by Brazil-based researchers found that people who excluded meat from their diets had twice as many depressive episodes as omnivores. The researchers gathered data from over 14, 000 adults aged 35-74 over a six-month period using the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised instrument. They concluded that depressive episodes were more prevalent in individuals who did not eat meat. The researchers have ruled out nutritional deficiencies, socioeconomic conditions, and lifestyle factors like drinking, smoking, and differing levels of physical activity as possible causes. More longitudinal data is needed to clarify the causal relationship.

What are the cons of being a vegetarian?

This review of plant-based diets provides an excellent reference for those providing nutrition advice and counseling, educating health care professionals, or simply for personal reasons who want to maximize their efforts to eat what might be a very healthy diet. Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular due to their purported health benefits espoused by health care professionals, well-known athletes, entertainers, and the media—and more recently for their positive environmental impact by reducing carbon emissions from farm/ranch animals.

There are different types of plant-based diets including vegan (100 plant-based), lacto-ovo vegetarian (plant-based except for dairy products and/or eggs), and pesco-vegetarian or pescatarian (plant-based except for fish and seafood with or without eggs and dairy). All vegetarian diets exclude meat (e. g., beef, pork, lamb, venison, chicken, and other fowl) and related meat products.

Data from randomized clinical trials have confirmed a protective effect of vegetarian diets for the prevention of diabetes and reductions in weight, blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, to date, no data are available for cardiovascular (CV) event rates and cognitive impairment, and there are very limited data for cancer. Not all plant-based foods are equally healthy.

Unhealthy vegetarian diets are poor in specific nutrients (vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and calcium) and/or rich in highly processed refined flours, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, artificial sweeteners, salt, and preservatives, each of which have been shown to increase morbidity and mortality.

There are no data from mechanistic studies to help understand whether the advantages of healthy, minimally processed vegetarian diets represent an all-or-nothing phenomenon. Consuming primarily plant-based diets containing small quantities of animal products (e. g., pesco-vegetarian or Mediterranean diets) has beneficial, detrimental, or neutral effects on cardiometabolic health outcomes. Among the potential mechanisms of vegan and well-balanced vegetarian diets for reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, and dementia include lipid lowering, glucose lowering and insulin sensitizing, antioxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and production of intestinal microbial metabolites influencing metabolic and immune health. Particularly important is the marked reduction in saturated fat.

A joint analysis of five prospective studies including 76, 172 individuals has shown a lower CHD mortality in vegetarians than in omnivores: 34 less in lacto-ovo vegetarians and pesco-vegetarians and 26 lower in vegans. A meta-analysis of seven epidemiological studies (124, 706 participants) found an 18 lower cancer incidence in vegetarians than omnivores. The high-fiber and water content and lower energy density of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains may in part explain this effect.

Consumption of diets rich in fiber induces gastric distention, delays gastric emptying, and prevents large fluctuations in postprandial blood glucose. Similarly, short-chain fatty acids produced by the intestinal microbial metabolism of resistant starch and oligosaccharides of minimally refined plant foods markedly reduce blood glucose and body weight in randomized clinical trials.

For overweight men and women seeking weight loss and cardiometabolic improvement as a means of primary and secondary prevention of T2DM, hypertension, and CVD, well-balanced and supplemented vegetarian diets rich in minimally processed plant foods may be an option, especially when coupled with calorie restriction and regular exercise training, as recommended in the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report. Regular fish intake can provide additional CV health benefits.

Additional trials are warranted to determine whether patients with CVD will ultimately benefit from consuming vegetarian and vegan diets and, if so, in what ways. There is evidence to suggest that some vegetarians, particularly those who follow restrictive diets such as vegans, may be at greater risk of hemorrhagic stroke and bone fractures if they do not carefully plan their diets and consume fortified plant-based foods or supplements.

Vegans and some vegetarians may also be at risk of deficiencies in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, riboflavin, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, which can be particularly dangerous for pregnant and breastfeeding women and growing children.