A examine of over 26,000 middle-aged UK ladies reveals these with a vegetarian food plan had a 33% larger danger of hip fracture in comparison with common meat-eaters.
College of Leeds analysis, printed at present (Thursday, August 11) within the journal BMC Drugs, investigated the chance of hip fracture in occasional meat-eaters; pescatarians, individuals who eat fish however not meat; and vegetarians in comparison with common meat-eaters.
Amongst 26,318 ladies, 822 hip fracture instances have been noticed over roughly 20 years — that represented simply over 3% of the pattern inhabitants. After adjustment for elements reminiscent of smoking and age, vegetarians have been the one food plan group with an elevated danger of hip fracture.
This examine is certainly one of only a few research to match danger of hip fracture in vegetarians and meat-eaters the place the incidence of hip fracture was confirmed from hospital data.
The scientists stress the necessity for extra analysis into the precise causes of why vegetarians have been at a higher danger of hip fracture.
Vegetarian diets might be ‘wholesome or unhealthy’
Examine lead writer James Webster, a doctoral researcher from the Faculty of Meals Science and Diet at Leeds, mentioned: “Our examine highlights potential issues concerning danger of hip fracture in ladies who’ve a vegetarian food plan. Nevertheless, it’s not warning individuals to desert vegetarian diets. As with every food plan, you will need to perceive private circumstances and what vitamins are wanted for a balanced wholesome life-style.
“Vegetarian diets can differ extensively from individual to individual and might be wholesome or unhealthy, similar to diets that embrace animal merchandise.
“Nevertheless, it’s regarding that vegetarian diets usually have decrease intakes of vitamins which can be linked with bone and muscle well being. Some of these vitamins typically are extra plentiful in meat and different animal merchandise than in vegetation, reminiscent of protein, calcium, and different micronutrients.
“Low consumption of those vitamins can result in decrease bone mineral density and muscle mass, which may make you extra vulnerable to hip fracture danger. This makes it particularly essential for additional analysis to raised perceive elements driving the elevated danger in vegetarians, whether or not or not it’s explicit nutrient deficiencies or weight administration, in order that we can assist individuals to make wholesome decisions.”
Plant-based diets rising in recognition
Vegetarian diets have gained recognition in recent times, with a 2021 YouGov survey placing the dimensions of the UK vegetarian inhabitants at roughly 5-7%. It’s usually perceived as a more healthy dietary possibility, with earlier proof that reveals a vegetarian food plan can scale back the dangers of a number of persistent illnesses, together with diabetes, coronary heart illness, and most cancers in comparison with omnivorous diets.
There’s additionally a worldwide name for lowering the consumption of animal merchandise in an effort to sort out local weather change.
Understanding hip fracture danger in vegetarians is due to this fact changing into more and more essential to public well being.
Examine co-author Professor Janet Cade, chief of the Dietary Epidemiology Group within the Faculty of Meals Science and Diet at Leeds, mentioned: “Hip fracture is a world well being concern with excessive financial prices that causes lack of independence, reduces high quality of life, and will increase danger of different well being points.
“Plant-based diets have been linked with poor bone well being, however there was a scarcity of proof on the hyperlinks to hip fracture danger. This examine is a crucial step in understanding the potential danger plant-based diets may current over the long-term and what might be achieved to mitigate these dangers.”
The staff used information from the UK Girls’s Cohort Examine to research attainable hyperlinks between food plan and hip fracture danger. The nationwide cohort of middle-aged ladies was established on the College of Leeds to discover hyperlinks between food plan and persistent illness, encompassing a variety of various consuming patterns. Dietary info was collected utilizing a meals frequency questionnaire and was validated utilizing a 4-day meals diary in a subsample of ladies.
On the time they have been recruited into the cohort examine, the ladies ranged in age from 35 to 69 years.
Impact of low BMI
The analysis staff discovered that the typical BMI amongst vegetarians was barely decrease than the typical among the many common meat eaters. Earlier analysis has proven a hyperlink between low BMI and a excessive danger of hip fracture.
Decrease BMI can point out persons are underweight, which may imply poorer bone and muscle well being, and better danger of hip fracture. Additional investigation is required to find out if low BMI is the rationale for the noticed larger danger in vegetarians.
Examine co-author, Dr Darren Greenwood, a biostatistician within the Faculty of Drugs at Leeds, mentioned: “This examine is simply a part of the broader image of food plan and wholesome bones and muscular tissues in older age.
“Additional analysis is required to verify whether or not there could possibly be comparable ends in males, to discover the position of physique weight, and to determine the explanations for various outcomes in vegetarians and meat-eaters.”