The conclusions of new British scientific research.
Women who follow a vegetarian diet have a 33% greater risk of hip (hip) fracture than those who eat meat regularly (at least five times a week), according to a new British scientific study.
The University of Leeds researchers, led by James Webster, who made the relevant publication in the medical journal “BMC Medicine”, analyzed data on 26,318 women aged 35 to 69, of whom 822 (almost 3%) had fractured his hip at about 22 years of age.
After other factors such as smoking were taken into account, it was found that vegetarian women were the group with the highest risk for this fracture. The scientists stressed the need for further study to better explain the exact reasons why a plant-based diet is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture.
Click here to read the scientific publication
Webster said, “Our study is not a warning to people to abandon their plant-based eating habits. Vegetarian diets can vary greatly from person to person and be healthy or unhealthy, as can diets that include animal products. Worryingly, plant-based diets often have lower levels of nutrients associated with bone and muscle health. Such nutrients, such as protein, calcium, etc., are generally more abundant in meat and other animal products than in plants. “Low intake of such substances can lead to lower bone density and lower muscle mass, which makes one more vulnerable to the risk of hip fracture.”
Vegetarian diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they are considered a healthier option and reduce the risks of various chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. They are also favored by the growing call from scientists to limit meat consumption because it contributes to climate change.
Therefore, according to the researchers, it is becoming increasingly important to study whether a vegetarian diet may be a public health problem in terms of fractures. Professor Janet Cade, from the School of Nutrition Science at Leeds, said: “Hip fractures are already a global health problem with significant economic costs, causing a loss of patient independence, reduced quality of life and increased risk of other health problems. The new study is an important step in better understanding the potential risk of plant-based diets over time and what can be done to mitigate those risks.”
The study found that average body mass index is slightly lower in herbivores than in meat eaters. Previous research has linked low body mass index with an increased risk of hip fracture. Underweight people generally have worse bone and muscle health, so if they are also vegetarians, the risk of fracture is greater. Whether the study’s findings apply equally to men is under investigation.
RES-EMP
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