This is arguably the largest study ever to be carried out in the UK on the incidence of meat consumption and fish on cardiovascular disease. To carry out this study, researchers at the University of Oxford followed the 45,000 volunteers enrolled in the survey dubbed European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). In this group, 34% of the volunteers were vegetarians, a high number (rare in nutrition studies), which allowed researchers to make more accurate estimates of cardiovascular risk by diet.
Less cholesterol in vegetarians
A few days ago, a study showed that eating berries protects the heart. The conclusions of this new study, which have just been published in the‘American journal of clinical nutrition also go in this direction since we learn that vegetarians reduce the risk of suffering from a infarction or being admitted to hospital for a cardiovascular problem, by 32%. An estimate published after following the volunteers in the test group for more than 11 years. “This lower risk is due to the fact that vegetarians have less cholesterol problem and have less high blood pressure than those who consume meat and fish” explains Dr Francesca Crowe, of the cancer epidemiology unit at the Oxford University, the main author of this research.
This is not the first time that the overconsumption of meat has been singled out by the medical world. For example, it is known that eating red meat every day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 18% and the 10% risk of cancer mortality. “This new study once again emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet in the fight against cardiovascular disease and cancer,” concludes Dr. Crowe.
