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Fractures are common in adults and the elderly, and earlier research has shown that vegetarians have lower bone density than non-vegetarians. Bone density is "a measure of the mineral (mainly calcium and phosphorus) content of a given volume of bone," according to the National Cancer Institute. Women are more likely than men to fracture their hips as they age, as estrogen levels drop rapidly after menopause, which can lead to weakened bones. Hip fracture is one of the important causes of death in the elderly, and it is extremely difficult to recover from hip fracture. Unfortunately, hip fracture may lead to long-term paralysis in bed and related complications.

Amid the growing controversy over the pros and cons of plant-based diets, the high risk of bone fractures associated with adhering to a vegan diet has been further corroborated in experimental studies. Recently, BMC Medicine published a study titled "Recommendations for robust and reproducible preclinical research in personalized medicine". The study confirmed that vegetarian women have a 33% higher risk of hip fracture than women who often eat meat. Vegans and vegetarians may More prone to fractures than meat eaters.

In the study, British women aged 35-69 were categorized as frequent meat eaters (≥5 servings/week), occasional meat eaters (<5 servings/week), pescatarians (eating fish but not meat) or vegetarian (neither fish nor meat). Using a Cox regression model to estimate the association between each diet group and hip fracture risk during a median follow-up of 22.3 years, the researchers found that 822 hip fractures were observed among 26,318 women cases.

Vegetarian women have a higher risk of hip fractures than meat eaters, study finds. Further studies are needed to confirm this in men and non-European populations and to identify factors that contribute to the observed differences in risk. The effect estimates were calculated to have a 33 percent higher risk of hip fracture in vegetarian women than in women who regularly ate meat. The higher risk of hip fractures may be due to the fact that meat-free diets contain less protein, which builds muscle mass, and may be deficient in vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and vitamin B12, which help strengthen bones.

The higher risk of hip fractures among vegetarians compared with regular meat eaters may be due in part to differences in body anthropometry between dietary groups. Although there was no clear evidence of an association between BMI (Body Mass Index)-altering diet groups and hip fracture risk, vegetarians' lower mean BMI partly explained their higher risk.

Previous research has shown that vegetarians have lower BMI and body weight and are inversely associated with hip fracture risk. Potential mechanisms include the protective effects of bone mass, fat mass, and muscle mass, each of which is independently inversely associated with hip fracture risk, and insufficient fat mass may reduce hip impact cushioning during falls, which account for a large proportion of hip fractures. 90% of. Higher fat mass can also increase bone strength by increasing mechanical loading and enhancing estrogen production. Low muscle mass and strength in the hip flexors and spinal extensors has also been associated with an increased risk of hip fracture, possibly due to decreased balance and mobility. Therefore, weight management may be an important consideration in reducing hip fracture risk in vegetarians, but further research is needed to explore the role of BMI and body composition in hip fracture risk in vegetarians and meat eaters.

A second potential reason for the higher risk of hip fractures among vegetarians is that their intake of animal products is less abundant in nutrients important for bone health. Previous research found vegetarians had lower dietary intakes of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 and suggested a protective association of these nutrients with hip fracture risk. In the study, vegetarians had lower dietary intakes of protein, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, but similar intakes of dietary calcium as the other diet groups. In particular, vegetarians are less likely than regular meat-eaters to meet the recommended adult protein intake of 0.75 g/kg body weight/day, yet have a higher risk of hip fracture. Vegetarians cannot be compared with any dietary nutrient intake explain.

"While meat-eaters generally consume more protein, calcium and vitamin D, and these nutrients are more bioavailable (able to be used by the body), they may still be deficient if they make poor food choices, regardless of whether they eat food," the researchers said. Whether you are a meat eater or a plant eater, a deficiency affects bone health the same way. Vegetarians, especially vegans, need to be very careful about getting the nutrients they're missing if their nutrition doesn't include calcium-rich nutrients."