Vegetarian women more likely to fracture hips in later life, study shows
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Research suggests some vegetarians may not get sufficient nutrients for good bone and muscle health.
By Ian Sample, Science Editor
Women who are vegetarian are more likely to experience hip fractures in later life than those who frequently eat meat, a UK study has found.
Researchers analysed health and diet records from more than 26,000 women and found that over a roughly 22-year period, vegetarians were a third more likely to break a hip than those who regularly ate meat.
The reasons for the greater risk are unclear but researchers suspect some vegetarians may not get sufficient nutrients for good bone and muscle health, leaving them prone to falls and fractures.
‘The message for vegetarians is don’t give up your diet, because it is healthy for other things and environmentally friendly, but do take care to plan well and don’t miss out on nutrients that you exclude when you don’t eat meat or fish,’ said Dr James Webster, a researcher at the University of Leeds.
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