Meat eaters live just as long as vegetarians

Vegetarian diet without effect on life expectancy

20/10/2014

Vegetarian diet has no impact on life expectancy, according to a recent study led by scientists at the University of Manchester. Like the British researchers in the trade magazine „International Journal of Cardiology“ report, contrary to previous assumptions in vegetarians, no significant reduction in overall mortality. In total, the researchers analyzed the data of more than 180,000 study participants from eight long-term studies as part of their meta-analysis.

Generally, dietary measures are considered „important component of cardiovascular risk factor management, although its effects on cardiovascular risk and mortality remain uncertain“, the researchers write. In their Metastudie they therefore have the „Influence of a vegetarian diet on cardiovascular risk and mortality.“ It became clear that vegetarians in no way live longer than meat consumers. Only in one of the evaluated studies was one „modest cardiovascular benefit“ However, the considered religious group also has a fundamentally different lifestyle than the general population, so the reason for the prolonged life expectancy is more likely to be found here.

No health benefits from meat abstinence?
The University of Manchester researchers looked in the data of the 183,000 study participants for possible connections between a vegetarian diet and the probability of CHD (coronary heart disease), a cerebrovascular disease (disease of the blood vessels in the brain) and the general life expectancy. They found only in a study, a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease, but the devout study participants are not equated with ordinary vegetarians. In the remaining studies, no correlation between the vegetarian diet and the risk of CHD has been found, the British researchers continue to report. From the point of view of life expectancy, vegetarians have no advantages. However, most people do not choose to abstain from meat only for purely health reasons, but here too ethical considerations often play a role. A health rationale for meat consumption is not recognizable in the study, so that meat can continue to be dispensed with completely without concern. (Fp)