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In the News, Fall 2022: Increased Risk of Hip Fracture in Vegetarian Women
A new study from the University of Leeds, in the UK, found that women following a vegetarian diet had a 33% greater risk of hip fracture than those who were regular meat-eaters (consuming five or more servings of meat per week). Occasional meat-eaters (consuming less than five servings per week) and pescatarians (eating fish but no meat) did not exhibit elevated risk of hip fracture, compared to regular meat-eaters.
The researchers analyzed data from 26,318 women who enrolled in the United Kingdom Women’s Cohort Study in 1995-1998 and completed food frequency questionnaires and food diaries. A total of 822 incident hip fractures were identified from hospital records during a median follow-up time of 22.3 years.
The regular meat-eaters reported the highest dietary intakes of protein, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 – nutrients that have been positively associated with bone mineral density – while the vegetarians reported the lowest. The vegetarians also had lower mean body mass index. However, the study did not identify these factors as responsible for the risk difference, and further research on the subject was recommended.
Sources: Female vegetarians at greater risk of hip fracture. University of Leeds, Health News. August 11, 2022. leeds.ac.uk/main-index/news/article/5133/female-vegetarians-at-greater-risk-of-hip-fracture.
Webster J, Greenwood DC, Cade JE. Risk of hip fracture in meat-eaters, pescatarians, and vegetarians: results from the UK Women’s Cohort Study. BMC Med. 2022; 20:275. doi.org/10.1186/s12916-022-02468-0.
Published in the Price-Pottenger Journal of Health & Healing
Fall 2022 | Volume 46, Number 3
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