The vegetarian diet consists of excluding meat, fish and seafood of his diet. Depending on the practice, it may or may not include eggs. Vegetarians choose this diet to preserve the planet or their health.
THE authorities recommend limiting meat to prevent certain chronic diseases. However, they nevertheless warn of the risks to which people are exposed who completely exclude animal protein. Of course, you can be a vegetarian and not miss anything. This requires adopting a balanced, varied diet and knowing how to the right food combinations to obtain a sufficient protein balance.
Through a news studyresearchers from the University of Leeds (UK) warn vegetarians, however. The risk of hip fracture would be 50% larger than in people who eat meat. The research was conducted on 413,914 people. However, the researchers point out that the benefits of a vegetarian diet prevail on the risks: this way of eating can prevent the onset of cancer and heart disease.
Vegetarian diet: risk of hip fracture explained by BMI
Study participants were recruited between 2006 and 2010. They were asked to share information about their diets with the scientists. We find regular meat eaters (5 or more times per week), casual meat eaters (less than 5 times a week), what the researchers call the pescatarians (they remove the meat but not the fish) and the vegetarians (who do not eat meat or fish).
Among the 413,914 participants, there were 3,503 hip fracture cases, an overall incidence rate of less than 1%. It is clear that the risk of having a hip fracture is small, yet the difference between the risk of vegetarians and regular meat eaters was significant.
Vegetarians had a 50% higher risk than regular meat eaters, regardless of their sex. According to the researchers, this result is explained by the BMI (body mass index). They is logically lower in vegetarians. ” Our analysis suggests that a low BMI could be a key factor explaining why the risk [de fracture de la hanche, ndlr] is higher “.
The problem could also stem from the fact that some vegetarians lacknutrition education and do not know how to compensate for the lack of animal protein with the right combinations of foods. According to the researchers, vegetarians are about 17% less likely to respect the recommendations in protein (compared to meat eaters). ” Vegetarians should ensure they eat a balanced diet with enough protein and maintain a healthy BMI. This will help them maintain healthy bones and muscles “, add the researchers.
The advantages of the vegetarian diet remain undeniable
Scientists do not advise against the use of a vegetarian diet, however.
” Hip fractures are a growing problem in an aging society and can trigger debilitating health problems and loss of quality of life “, underlines James Webster, doctoral researcher at the School of Food Science and Nutrition who led the study. He adds : ” This study shows that if vegetarians face a higher risk of hip fracture than meat eaters – at 50% – this translates to just 3 more hip fractures per 1,000 people over 10 years. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet, including a lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, may yet outweigh “.
