A vegetarian diet could help you live longer

Nutrition experts often insist that you have to eat all that a healthy diet is one that, from equilibrium, consists of vegetables, legumes, fruits, dairy products, eggs, fish and meat. However, vegetarianism is gaining popularity. A recently published study gives arguments.

According to research from Loma Linda University (USA), vegetarian diets are associated with reduced mortality rates. The study, published in the online edition of JAMA Internal Medicine, has found more favorable outcomes for men than women.

The background of the analysis shows that vegetarian diets have been associated with reductions in the risk of several chronic diseases, such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Michael J. Orlich and colleagues examined all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a group of 73,308 men and women of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, people who maintain a vegetarian diet.

Evaluated the diet of patients using a questionnaire that classified into five groups: non-vegetarian, semivegetarian, I fish-vegetarian (includes seafood), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (includes dairy and eggs) and vegan (excludes all animal products) .

A very specific profile of a man ...

The study indicated that individuals vegetarian groups tend to be older, more educated and more likely to be married, drink less alcohol, smoke less, exercise more and be more slender. "Some evidence suggests that vegetarian dietary patterns may be associated with lower mortality, but the relationship is not well established," says the study.

There were 2,570 deaths among study participants during a mean follow-up time of almost six years. The overall mortality rate was six deaths per thousand person-years. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for mortality from all causes in all vegetarians vs. non-vegetarians was 0.88, or 12% less, according to the study results.

The association also seems to be better for men with a significant reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease and death from IHD in vegetarians compared with nonvegetarians. In women, there were no significant reductions in these categories of mortality.

"These results demonstrate a global association of vegetarian diet patterns with lower mortality compared with non-vegetarian diet pattern. Also detect some associations with lower mortality I fish-vegetarians, vegans and lacto-ovo-vegetarian compared specifically with non-vegetarian diet, "the authors conclude.