Vegetarian women are more likely to fracture a hip than meat eaters

The researchers selected 26,318 women aged 35 to 69 and divided them into groups according to their diet based on a comprehensive questionnaire they completed from 1995 to 1998. In addition to regular meat eaters who ate more than five servings of meat per week, there were occasionally of Meat eaters who eat less meat, pescatarians who don’t eat meat but do eat fish, and vegetarians who don’t eat meat or fish. Then, based on hospital data, the researchers determined how many hip fractures occurred in those groups at more than 22 years after completing the questionnaire.

The results showed that 822 cases of hip fracture were diagnosed in women. And vegetarian women were 33% more likely to have a hip fracture than regular meat eaters. This was not the case with the occasional carnivores and living animals who scored points as well as the regular carnivores.

According to the scientists, more research is needed to confirm this in males and non-Europeans. and to identify the causes responsible for the differing perceived risk. In particular, they recommend more research on the potential role of BMI and nutrients abundantly found in animal foods.

They make those recommendations because Previous studies have shown that BMI and body weight are lower on average in vegetarians and that there is an inverse relationship with the risk of hip fractures. Inadequate fat mass can reduce shock absorption in the hip during falls, which is responsible for 90 percent of hip fractures. Increased fat mass can also increase bone strength through increased mechanical stress and increased estrogen production.

A second possible reason for the higher risk of hip fractures in vegetarians, researchers say, is their lower intake of nutrients abundant in animal products that are important for bone health. Previous studies have found lower intakes of protein, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 in vegetarians and suggested a protective relationship between these nutrients and the risk of hip fractures.