Vegetarians - At Higher Risk Of Stroke Than Carnivores

Nia Rouseberg Author: Nia Rouseberg Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022
Vegetarians - At Higher Risk Of Stroke Than Carnivores

According to a study in the UK, vegetarians and vegans have a 20% higher risk of stroke than carnivores, but have better heart health.

According to a new study, vegetarians and vegans are 20% more likely to have a stroke than people who eat meat. It is believed that this percentage is not too high. On the other hand, the former are 22% less likely to develop coronary heart disease. People who do not eat meat but can afford fish have a 13% lower risk of coronary heart disease .

 

The study looked at 48,000 people in the UK, with an average age of 45. Participants were studied for 18 years. Lead researcher Tammy Tong, a food epidemiologist at Oxford University, says this is the first study to look at the risk of stroke in vegetarians and vegans. 


 

The exact reasons for this risk are still unclear, but she said it may be due to very low cholesterol levels or very low levels of certain nutrients , as evidenced in some studies. For example, vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with a higher risk of stroke. The vitamin can be obtained mainly through fish and animal products. Vegetarians and vegans can only get it through supplements or fortified foods.

 

Despite these studies, some other researchers are skeptical of the claims. And this is mainly due to the fact that vegetarians have better heart health. Dr. Malcolm Finlay, a consultant cardiologist at the Barts Heart Center at the University of London, says vegans and vegetarians have a much lower overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who eat meat all the time. 

 

In conclusion, some scholars say that vegetarianism is not useful in all cases. According to them, in order for the heart to be healthy, it is not necessary not to eat meat, but rather to make additional changes in diet and lifestyle. 


Other researchers, such as Mark Lawrence and Sarah McNafton of the University of Dickin in Australia, conclude that the results of this study may not apply to all vegetarians worldwide. The study was conducted in the United Kingdom, where diet and lifestyle differ from other countries.

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