There are ethical and environmental reasons to adopt a more plant-based diet, as well as a growing body of data indicating that such diets are healthier for us.
A new study from Spain investigates the influence of plant-based diets on longevity by measuring the incidence of all-cause death, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer in older adults.
Comparing different vegetarian diets’ impact on death risk
Using data from the European Eye Study (EUREYE), the authors of the current study studied the relationship between three types of plant-based diets and mortality among 597 participants.
What makes a healthy pro-vegetarian diet?
This way of eating, she noted, "includes nutrient-dense plant foods such as green vegetables, fruits, plant-based proteins such as tofu and legumes, whole grains, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil and coconut oil."
What a pro-vegetarian diet unhealthy?
"The unhealthy [pro-vegetarian] diet contains a large amount of processed food. It's food deprived of the nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet."
What is a ‘general’ pro-vegetarian diet?
"According to the study, a general pro-vegetarian diet emphasises plant-based foods but also includes some animal-based foods," Gupta wrote in a statement.
No link between vegetarian diets and cancer?
"This was a massive research, but it wasn't big enough. There weren't enough cancer deaths—[only 58]—to reach statistical significance."
Using data from the European Eye Study (EUREYE), the authors of the current study studied the relationship between three types of plant-based diets and mortality among 597 participants.
According to the new study, persons who followed moderately to a healthy pro-vegetarian diet had a 41% reduced risk of all-cause death and a 53% lower risk of CVD mortality than those who adhered least.
People who most closely followed an unhealthy pro-vegetarian diet had a 53% greater risk of all-cause death and a 110% increased risk of death from CVD, demonstrating that nutrition is more than just being plant-based or not.