Diets that restrict the intake of animal products, such as the vegetarian diet, are becoming more common, as they have been associated with great health benefits. However, it should also be known that if the nutrients provided by meat are not replaced with others of plant origin, a problem associated with its deficit may appear, so it is essential that the diet is balanced and covers all the needs of the body.
A study from the University of Leeds (United Kingdom) published in the journal BMC Medicine has found that women who follow a vegetarian diet have up to a 33% higher risk of suffering a hip fracture than those who eat meat and animal products. The research looked at the diets and health of 26,318 women between the ages of 35 and 69.
In 20 years of follow-up of the participants, 822 cases of hip fracture were reported, which corresponds to a little more than 3% of the sample. Once other important factors, such as age and smoking, were taken into account, it was concluded that those in the vegetarian group were the only ones with an increased risk of hip fracture.
Nutrients associated with bone and muscle health
“Vegetarian diets can vary greatly from person to person and can be healthy or unhealthy, as can diets that include animal products. However, it is concerning that vegetarian diets often have lower intakes of nutrients that are linked to bone and muscle health. These types of nutrients are generally more abundant in meat and other animal products than in plants, such as protein, calcium, and other micronutrients,” explains James Webster, one of the study’s authors.
Of concern, vegetarian diets often have lower intakes of nutrients that are linked to bone and muscle health
This reduction in bone mineral density and muscle mass can promote hip fractures, so it is important to continue studying the reasons why this risk of bone breakage increases, because then measures could be taken to reduce the number of cases, since they increase people’s dependency, limit their daily life, and can end up generating other health problems.
The body mass index (BMI) of vegetarians was also found to be slightly lower than that of meat eaters, a finding that may corroborate previous studies linking low BMI to a high risk of hip fracture.
“This study is just one part of the larger picture of diet and healthy bones and muscles in old age. More research is needed to confirm whether there may be similar results in men, to explore the role of body weight, and to identify reasons for the different results in vegetarians and carnivores,” said co-author Dr. Darren Greenwood.
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