Why Vegetarians Are Less Likely to Do This

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Vegetarians have a lower risk of heart disease.A new study has found that the risk for going to the hospital or dying from heart disease is 32% lower in vegetarians than in people who eat meat and fish. It is something to consider for those who want to reduce their intake of meat.

Heart disease has long been the leading cause of death in adults. The new findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that a vegetarian diet could significantly reduce a person’s risk of heart disease. This is likely due to improved cholesterol levels and blood pressure among the non-meat eaters. It is proof that diet has a huge role in keeping you healthy.

The analysis looked at almost 45,000 people in England and Scotland, 34% of whom were vegetarian. This is a high rate of people, much higher than typical numbers in this kind of study. The higher rate allowed for more precise information. The results clearly showed that vegetarians have a 32% risk reduction, after you account for other possible factors like smoking, age, alcohol intake, and physical activity.

ALSO: Why vegetarians have a reduced risk of cataracts.

Over the course of the study, 1,235 cases of heart disease were diagnosed. This comprised 169 deaths and 1,066 hospital diagnoses, identified through hospital records and death certificates. The researchers found that vegetarians had lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-vegetarians, which is thought to be the main reason behind their reduced risk of heart disease.

What’s more is that the vegetarians typically had lower body mass indices (BMI) and fewer of them had diabetes as a result of their diet.

This reinforces the notion that diet is central to preventing heart disease. Though it may seem impossible for most adults, flipping the switch to vegetarianism comes with some very significant health benefits.

Sources for Today’s Articles:
Why Vegetarians Are Less Likely to Do This
Crowe, F., et al., “Risk of hospitalization or death from ischemic heart disease among British vegetarians and nonvegetarians: results from the EPIC-Oxford cohort study,” Am J Clin Nutr 2013, first published online January 30, 2013.