by According to recent research published in the journal “Nutrients,” the health advantages of following a vegetarian diet can differ significantly among individuals (1). This study challenges the common belief that this dietary pattern offers uniform benefits for everyone.
The researchers, led by Dr. Hana Kahleova from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington D.C., analyzed data from over 43,000 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study (2). They found that vegetarians, who mostly consumed a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to non-vegetarians. However, the protective effect was more pronounced in certain population subgroups, such as women and those with a lower body mass index (BMI) (1).
Additionally, the study revealed that vegetarians had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but this benefit was more significant for those with a higher BMI (1). Furthermore, vegetarians had a lower risk of developing certain cancers, such as colon, breast, and prostate cancer, but the protective effect varied depending on the specific type of vegetarian diet and individual factors, such as age, sex, and BMI (1).
Dr. Kahleova emphasized the importance of considering individual differences when it comes to the health effects of vegetarian diets. “Our findings suggest that the health benefits of a vegetarian diet are not one-size-fits-all,” she said (1). “Further research is needed to identify which subgroups of the population may benefit the most from this dietary pattern.”
In conclusion, the new study highlights the need to consider individual differences when evaluating the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. While this dietary pattern can offer numerous health advantages, the extent and specificity of these benefits can vary significantly among individuals.
References:
(1) Kahleova H, Fraser GE. Vegetarian Diets and Health: A Position Paper of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Vegetarian Nutrition. Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2527.
(2) European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). https://www.epic-studies.org/
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