New study shows people with vegetarian diets are less likely to be healthy

[Type Username Here]

Abstract:

Population-based studies have consistently shown that our diet has an influence on health. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyze differences between different dietary habit groups in terms of health-related variables. The sample used for this cross-sectional study was taken from the Austrian Health Interview Survey AT-HIS 2006/07. In a first step, subjects were matched according to their age, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES). After matching, the total number of subjects included in the analysis was 1320 (N = 330 for each form of diet – vegetarian, carnivorous diet rich in fruits and vegetables, carnivorous diet less rich in meat, and carnivorous diet rich in meat). Analyses of variance were conducted controlling for lifestyle factors in the following domains: health (self-assessed health, impairment, number of chronic conditions, vascular risk), health care (medical treatment, vaccinations, preventive check-ups), and quality of life. In addition, differences concerning the presence of 18 chronic conditions were analyzed by means of Chi-square tests. Overall, 76.4% of all subjects were female. 40.0% of the individuals were younger than 30 years, 35.4% between 30 and 49 years, and 24.0% older than 50 years. 30.3% of the subjects had a low SES, 48.8% a middle one, and 20.9% had a high SES. Our results revealed that a vegetarian diet is related to a lower BMI and less frequent alcohol consumption. Moreover, our results showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with poorer health (higher incidences of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders), a higher need for health care, and poorer quality of life. Therefore, public health programs are needed in order to reduce the health risk due to nutritional factors.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0088278#abstract0

 

[wire28]

fukk cobalamin

#VegetarianGang

 

[NZA]

personally i have never understood why people thought an omnivore trying to become exclusively an herbivore would ever be a good idea. we evolved eating everything, so it stands to reason that we function best with a diverse diet that includes some animal protein.

 

[88m3]

If they die they die

 

[Suicide King]

While 0.2% of the interviewees were pure vegetarians (57.7% female), 0.8% reported to be vegetarians consuming milk and eggs (77.3% female), and 1.2% to be vegetarians consuming fish and/or eggs and milk (76.7% female). 23.6% reported to combine a carnivorous diet with lots of fruits and vegetables (67.2% female), 48.5% to eat a carnivorous diet less rich in meat (60.8% female), and 25.7% a carnivorous diet rich in meat (30.1% female). Since the three vegetarian diet groups included a rather small number of persons (N = 343), they were analyzed as one dietary habit group. Moreover, since the vegetarian group was the smallest, we decided to match each of the vegetarians (1) with an individual of each other dietary habit group (carnivorous diet rich in fruits and vegetables (2), carnivorous diet less rich in meat (3) and a carnivorous rich in meat (4)).

Not sure what I can conclude from this study. Only 300 people? Also they are using some interesting surrogate markers to demonstrate "poorer health" in vegetarians.

 

[The Real]

The correlation doesn't surprise me, especially because it's restricted to vegetarians in Austria. Most modern vegetarians don't eat balanced diets, particularly those who are recent converts and living in a country where it's not easy to be a vegetarian. Literally 1% of the original survey respondents were vegetarian.

I think a more proper study would involve generationally vegetarian communities in Asia and Africa, since they are more experienced and their diets are generally balanced due to being around for a long time.

Also, to pre-empt the correlation = causation fallacy that is sure to show up soon in this thread, here's the study itself:

Potential limitations of our results are due to the fact that the survey was based on cross-sectional data. Therefore, no statements can be made whether the poorer health in vegetarians in our study is caused by their dietary habit or if they consume this form of diet due to their poorer health status. We cannot state whether a causal relationship exists, but describe ascertained associations. Moreover, we cannot give any information regarding the long-term consequences of consuming a special diet nor concerning mortality rates.

I'd be very interested in seeing the follow-up study, when it comes out, so we can see how many of these people were recommended a vegetarian diet because of pre-existing ailments (which is common enough,) and also the specifics of the vegetarian diets in question. This is important research.

 

[Suicide King]

The correlation doesn't surprise me, especially because it's restricted to vegetarians in Austria. Most modern vegetarians don't eat balanced diets, particularly those who are recent converts and living in a country where it's not easy to be a vegetarian.

I think a more proper study would involve generationally vegetarian communities in Asia and Africa, since they are more experienced and their diets are generally balanced due to being around for a long time.

Also, to pre-empt the correlation = causation fallacy that is sure to show up soon in this thread, here's the study itself:



I'd be very interested in seeing the follow-up study, when it comes out, so we can see how many of these people were recommended a vegetarian diet because of pre-existing ailments (which is common enough,) and also the specifics of the vegetarian diets in question. This is important research.

So, true the study even said only, "0.2% of the interviewees were pure vegetarians."

Also, they could not come to any conclusion because this study is under powered.

 

[The Real]

So, true the study even said only, "0.2% of the interviewees were pure vegetarians."

Also, they could not come to any conclusion because this study is under powered.

Well, the "pure vegetarians" thing was referring to vegans. Personally, I count ovo-lacto people as vegetarians, too, since they still don't eat meat. But they used 330 people from each group in the final analysis, so actually it was 1/4th vegetarian. It was the original survey where the number of vegetarian respondents was 1%. They took that 1% (well, a little more, since they included people who eat fish as vegetarian for some reason) and matched them with equal numbers of people who eat varying quantities of meat.

 

[Suicide King]

Well, the "pure vegetarians" thing was referring to vegans. Personally, I count ovo-lacto people as vegetarians, too, since they still don't eat meat. But they used 330 people from each group in the final analysis, so actually it was 1/4th vegetarian. It was the original survey where the number of vegetarian respondents was 1%.

Looking at the numbers only 2.2% did not eat meat other than fish.

While 0.2% of the interviewees were pure vegetarians (57.7% female), 0.8% reported to be vegetarians consuming milk and eggs (77.3% female), and 1.2% to be vegetarians consuming fish and/or eggs and milk (76.7% female).

 

[The Real]

Looking at the numbers only 2.2% did not eat meat.

Right, but that was from the original social survey from which they drew the data. For the study itself, they took that 2.2 %, and matched it with an equal number of people who eat a little meat, moderate amounts, and a lot of meat. So in the actual study, 25% of the people were vegetarian (by their definition), 25% ate a little meat, 25% ate a moderate amount of meat, and 25% eat a lot of meat.

 

[tmonster]

the study said: ↑
Potential limitations of our results are due to the fact that the survey was based on cross-sectional data. Therefore, no statements can be made whether the poorer health in vegetarians in our study is caused by their dietary habit or if they consume this form of diet due to their poorer health status. We cannot state whether a causal relationship exists, but describe ascertained associations. Moreover, we cannot give any information regarding the long-term consequences of consuming a special diet nor concerning mortality rates.

this is slightly problematic for the thread title, non?

 

[GetInTheTruck]

non-vegetarians are becoming more annoying than vegetarians.

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

personally i have never understood why people thought an omnivore trying to become exclusively an herbivore would ever be a good idea. we evolved eating everything, so it stands to reason that we function best with a diverse diet that includes some animal protein.

Basically. A balanced diet is key you can't have one without the other. People just wanna be extra to feel like they're doing something.

 

[GetInTheTruck]

The correlation doesn't surprise me, especially because it's restricted to vegetarians in Austria. Most modern vegetarians don't eat balanced diets, particularly those who are recent converts and living in a country where it's not easy to be a vegetarian. Literally 1% of the original survey respondents were vegetarian.

I think a more proper study would involve generationally vegetarian communities in Asia and Africa, since they are more experienced and their diets are generally balanced due to being around for a long time.

Also, to pre-empt the correlation = causation fallacy that is sure to show up soon in this thread, here's the study itself:



I'd be very interested in seeing the follow-up study, when it comes out, so we can see how many of these people were recommended a vegetarian diet because of pre-existing ailments (which is common enough,) and also the specifics of the vegetarian diets in question. This is important research.

this, pretty much.

 

[babylon1]

we aren't doing it for our health, breh. we are doing it for the animals. part of evolving your soul involves living in service of other beings