While there is a perception that "vegetarianism is good for healthy longevity," research results suggest that the answer to living to 100 may not necessarily lie in vegetables on the plate. It was found that seniors who did not eat much meat and followed a vegetarian diet had a lower probability of living to 100.
Dr. Xiang Gao's team from Fudan University's School of Public Health utilized data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which has been ongoing since 1998, to analyze the correlation between diet and longevity. This study was published in the latest issue of the international nutrition journal The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The participants at the start of the study were all over 80 years old, with 1,495 out of 5,203 surviving to over 100 years, while 3,744 died before reaching 100. The research team analyzed health-related information such as participants' eating habits, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and physical activity, and statistically assessed the impact of diet type on the likelihood of reaching 100.
The analysis revealed that those who maintained an omnivorous diet that included meat had a significantly higher chance of surviving to 100 compared to those who followed a vegetarian diet.
Even after considering factors such as exercise and smoking, those who maintained a diet completely devoid of meat had a 19% lower probability of reaching 100 compared to omnivores. Particularly, for strict vegetarians (vegans), the difference was even greater, showing a 29% lower chance of surviving to 100. Vegetarians who included eggs and dairy had a 14% lower probability compared to omnivores, and pescatarian diets also showed a trend of reduced longevity potential.
However, meat was not the most important factor across all food groups. The research team stated that daily vegetable consumption showed the greatest protective effect as a single factor. Those who consumed vegetables daily had an over 84% higher chance of surviving to 100 compared to those who did not. This indicates that while the act of consuming vegetables daily is strongly associated with longevity, it does not imply a diet devoid of animal products; rather, it shows that the protective effect of vegetable intake and the nutritional complementarity of meat consumption acted in different ways.
The impact of diet varied according to body type. Vegetarians who maintained a normal BMI suitable for their age did not show significant differences in the likelihood of surviving to 100 compared to omnivores. In the overweight group, diet type did not statistically significantly affect survival rates. In contrast, results were different for underweight seniors. In this group, those who consumed meat daily had a 44% higher likelihood of surviving to 100.
The research team interpreted these results by stating, "For super-elderly individuals, especially underweight seniors, the energy, protein, and micronutrient requirements are high, and a strict vegetarian diet may not provide sufficient nutrition." They further stated, "A nutritionally balanced omnivorous diet that includes both animal and plant foods can help the longevity of underweight super-elderly individuals."
The research team pointed out that while reducing meat consumption may have benefits in some aspects, such as cardiovascular health, considering the common underweight status in those over 80, excessively restricting meat could actually be detrimental to survival. They concluded that additional research is needed to establish tailored dietary guidelines reflecting the physical condition of the super-elderly in a rapidly aging society.
