ANN/THE STAR – Women who follow a vegetarian diet have a higher risk of breaking their hips in later life, a new study suggested.
Researchers said vegetarian diets “often have lower intakes of nutrients that are linked with bone and muscle health” after their study found female vegetarians had a one-third increased risk of hip fracture compared to regular meat eaters.
The study, involving more than 26,000 women aged 35-69 from across the United Kingdom (UK), assessed the risk of hip fracture among vegetarians, pescetarians and occasional meat eaters, compared with regular meat eaters.
After around 20 years, researchers noted 822 hip fractures among the women – around three per cent of those involved in the study, which has been published in the journal BMC Medicine.
Experts from the University of Leeds found that an elevated risk of hip fracture was found only among vegetarian women, compared with women who regularly consumed meat.
The data was drawn from the UK Women’s Cohort Study, which tracks women over time to assess the risks between diet and health.
Among the group of women, 28 per cent are vegetarian and one per cent are vegan.
Study lead James Webster, from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, said, “Our study highlights potential concerns regarding the risk of hip fracture in vegetarian women.
“However, it is not warning people to abandon vegetarian diets – it is important to understand personal circumstances and what nutrients are needed for a balanced healthy lifestyle.”
He added, “Vegetarian diets often have lower intakes of nutrients that are linked with bone and muscle health.
“These types of nutrients generally are more abundant in animal products than in plants, such as protein and calcium.
“Low intake of these nutrients can lead to lower bone mineral density and muscle mass, which can make you more susceptible to hip fracture risk.”