Your diet plays a key role in your overall health, but according to a new study, whether or not you eat meat could play a role in your fracture risk.
According to a joint study out of the University of Oxford and University of Bristol, nutrients found in meat may help to decrease bone fracture risk. For the study, researchers examined the medical data and dietary habits of more than 50,000 people in the United Kingdom. After examining the data, they found that vegans with lower calcium and protein levels than meat eaters had a 43 percent higher chance of fracturing a bone, specifically in their leg, hip or spine. Vegetarians and pescatarians had an increased risk of hip fractures compared to meat eaters.
“This is the first comprehensive study on the risks of both total and site-specific fractures in people of different diet groups,” said Dr. Tammy Tong, a nutritional epidemiologist from Oxford in a news release. “We found that vegans had a higher risk of total fractures which resulted in close to 20 more cases per 1000 people over a 10-year period compared to people who ate meat. The biggest differences were for hip fractures, where the risk in vegans was 2.3 times higher than in people who ate meat, equivalent to 15 more cases per 1000 people over 10 years.”
Diet And Fracture Risk
Aside from the increase in hip fractures, vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians all had an increased risk of leg fractures compared to meat eaters, even when accounting for BMI (meat eaters more commonly had higher BMIs).
“This study showed that vegans, who on average had lower BMI as well as lower intakes of calcium and protein than meat eaters, had higher risks of fractures at several sites,” said Dr. Tong.
Now, that’s not to say that a non-meat diet should be avoided. Previous studies have shown that non-meat diets have been linked to a decreased risk of problems like heart disease and diabetes. However, this study shows that non-meat eaters need to put extra emphasis on eating nutrients that promote bone health, like calcium and Vitamin D. And if you’re a meat eater, you shouldn’t just assume you have great bone health because you’re getting nutrients from the meat. You also need to maintain a healthy BMI, otherwise those extra pounds you’re packing on will only put more stress on your bones.
To learn about other ways to prevent leg and ankle fractures, or to talk to a specialist about foot pain you’ve been dealing with, reach out to Dr. Silverman’s office today.
