October 13, 2024

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Vegetarians have a 50% higher risk of hip fractures

Vegetarians have a 50% higher risk of hip fractures



 

Vegetarians have a 50% higher risk of hip fractures, study finds.

A recent large-scale study found that vegetarians (both men and women) had a 50 percent higher risk of hip fracture than regular meat eaters.

Potential causes may include low body mass index and insufficient protein intake, but the health benefits of a vegetarian diet may still outweigh the risks.

Prior to this study, it was recognized that vegetarian women were at higher risk of hip fractures, but the exact reasons remained unclear.

Also, previous studies looking at the effects of a vegetarian diet on fracture risk in men were small and inconclusive.

 

Vegetarians have a 50% higher risk of hip fractures

 

 

 

The latest study, conducted by researchers at the University of Leeds, analyzed data from 413,914 men and women.

This is the first study to show that, like their female counterparts, vegetarian men face a greater risk of hip fracture than men who regularly eat meat. The study also attempted to identify factors that contributed to the increased risk among male and female vegetarians.

 

The study recruited participants between 2006 and 2010 as part of the UK Biobank project, who provided dietary information.

They were classified as frequent meat eaters (eating meat five or more times a week), occasional meat eaters (eating meat less than five times a week), bass eaters (eating fish but no meat) or vegetarians (eat dairy but no fish or meat).

Participants’ data were then linked to their hospital records to document hip fracture cases through 2021.

 

The findings are published in the academic journal BMC Medicine, titled “Hip fracture risk in meat-eaters, pescatarians and vegetarians: a prospective cohort study of 413,914 UK Biobank participants”.

 

Among 413,914 participants, there were 3,503 hip fracture cases, an overall incidence of less than one percent (0.8%).

 

While the overall risk of hip fractures is low, vegetarians have a high relative risk of hip fractures compared with regular meat eaters. The researchers found that:

  • Regardless of gender, vegetarians had a 50 percent higher risk than regular meat eaters.
  • There was no difference in risk between occasional and regular meat eaters.
  • Bass eaters had a slightly higher risk (8%) than regular meat eaters, but the difference was not significant.

 

The scientists calculated how these relative differences translated in the real world.

They predicted that regular and occasional meat eaters would each have an average of 6.5 hip fractures, while fish-heavy and vegetarians would have 7 and 9.5 hip fractures, respectively.

 

James Webster, a PhD researcher in the School of Food Science and Nutrition who led the study, said: “Hip fractures are a growing problem in an aging society and can lead to debilitating and reduced quality of life. .

 

“This study shows that while vegetarians face a greater risk of hip fractures (50%) than meat eaters, this translates to only 3 more hip fractures per 1,000 people over a 10-year period. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet include The reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease may still outweigh the increased risk of hip fracture.”

 

“Our analysis suggests that low body mass index may be a key factor contributing to the higher risk among vegetarians,” Webster said. “Furthermore, vegetarians were about 17% less likely than meat-eaters to meet protein recommendations. Therefore, The important message from our study is that vegetarians need to ensure they eat a balanced diet, consume enough protein, and maintain a healthy body mass index. This will help vegetarians maintain healthy bones and muscles.”

 

Professor Janet Cade, who led the Nutritional Epidemiology Group at the University of Leeds and directed the study, said: “Hip fractures are a major health problem and diet may have some influence on risk. his study used Our previous work has been confirmed by research carried out by a large UK Biobank showing that vegetarian diets are associated with an increased risk of hip fractures in both men and women compared with regular meat eaters. While vegetarian diets have health benefits, understanding diet quality and key A balance of nutrients may help reduce risk and improve future bone health.”

Hip fractures cost the NHS £2-3 billion a year.

 

 

Vegetarians have a 50% higher risk of hip fractures

(source:internet, reference only)


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