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Vegans 40% more likely to suffer a bone fracture

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...cture-rzb2bj06l

Quote:

Vegans who forgo all foods derived from animals have a far higher risk of broken bones than people who eat meat and fish, a study has shown.

The findings, by Oxford University researchers, have raised concerns that a recent increase in the popularity of veganism will cause health problems unless adherents plan their diets. The NHS advises vegans to think carefully about how they obtain enough calcium, iron and vitamin B12.

The number of vegans in Britain more than doubled to 600,000 between 2016 and 2019, according to surveys by the Vegan Society published this year. Food manufacturers have responded by creating scores of plant products designed to mimic red meat, such as vegan sausage rolls and burgers that “bleed” with beetroot juice.

Other surveys suggest that most new vegans cite better health as a reason for giving up animal products. But vegans were found to have a 43 per cent higher risk of suffering a bone fracture than meat-eaters, according to a paper today in the journal BMC Medicine.

The study involved nearly 55,000 people in Britain, about 2,000 of whom were vegan. It followed them for an average of 18 years each.

Tammy Tong, nutritional epidemiologist at the Nuffield Department of Population Health at Oxford University and the lead author, said: “We found that vegans had a higher risk of total fractures, which resulted in close to 20 more cases per 1,000 people over a ten-year period compared to people who ate meat.”

The researchers also found a link between vegetarianism, in which eggs and dairy products can be eaten, and pescatarians, who eat fish but no meat, and the chances of people in their forties breaking a hip. Plant-based diets have increased in popularity and surveys suggest that most adherents believe they are a healthier choice.

Eating more vegetables and less red meat has been linked to improved blood pressure, lower rates of type 2 diabetes and better cholesterol readings. Conservationists say that it is better for the environment too.

The study found that vegans were more than 2.3 times more likely to suffer a broken hip than people who ate red meat. Vegetarians and pescatarians were about 25 per cent more likely. The results suggest that over ten years vegans suffer about 15 more hip fractures than meat eaters for every 1,000 people.

Dr Tong said: “This study showed that vegans, who on average had a lower [body mass index] as well as lower intakes of calcium and protein than meat eaters, had higher risks of fractures at several sites. Well-balanced and predominantly plant-based diets can result in improved nutrient levels and have been linked to lower risks of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Individuals should take into account the benefits and risks of their diet, and ensure that they have adequate levels of calcium and protein and maintain a healthy body mass index.”

The average age of the meat eaters in the study was about 50, for vegans and vegetarians it was about 40 and for the fish eaters it was 42.

The research was a prospective cohort study, monitoring a group over time to understand how certain factors, in this case diet, may be linked to an outcome such as a broken bone.

The trend towards vegan diets led to 3.6 million fewer animals being consumed in the first six months of last year, analysis by the charity Veganuary found. Supermarket sales of red meat fell by £185 million last year, more than any other category, according to Nielsen, the data management company.