Information Sheet

Health and Vegetarians Part 2 Heart Disease -- Hypertension -- Obesity -- Diabetes Heart Disease Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality in Britain, being responsible for around 50% of all deaths. The majority of these deaths are from coronary heart disease. Vegetarians suffer markedly lower mortality from coronary heart disease compared to non-vegetarians (Key et al (1999). This reduced risk may be related to the lower blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians. Findings from the Oxford Vegetarian Study, a 12 year study of 6000 vegetarians and 5000 meat-eater found that the incidence of coronary heart disease mortality was 28% lower in vegetarians compared with matched omnivores, after all non dietary factors had been taken into consideration (Thorogood, 1994). Burr & Butland (1988) found vegetarians to suffer significantly lower mortality from heart disease than health conscious non-vegetarians. Mortality from ischaemic heart disease was 57% lower in vegetarians than the general population, and 18% lower than in non-vegetarians following a healthy lifestyle. Deaths due to cerebrovascular disease was 43% lower in the vegetarians compared with the general population. A study of nearly 28,000 Seventh Day Adventists in California noted a clear trend of increasing incidence of heart disease with rising frequency of meat consumption (Snowdon, 1988). The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study examined diet in relation to health in over 5,000 young adults aged 18 to 30. Vegetarians were found to have greatly improved cardiovascular fitness and a lower risk of heart disease (Slattery, 1991). A low level of meat consumption was linked to improved general health. An eleven-year study of 1,900 German vegetarians has found mortality from cardiovascular disease to be 61% lower in male vegetarians and 44% lower in female vegetarians than the general population. For ischaemic heart disease, mortality was reduced still further, to only one-third of that expected (Claude-Chang, 1992). The protective effect of a vegetarian diet is believed to be related to the lower blood cholesterol levels seen in vegetarians. Repeated studies have demonstrated the low blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians (Resnicow, 1991). Thorogood (1990) found vegetarians to have cholesterol levels 10% lower than health conscious meat-eaters. High blood cholesterol is a primary risk factor in heart disease. Significantly, vegetarians have lower levels of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the cholesterol fraction particularly associated with heart disease. Research has suggested that a 10% reduction in blood cholesterol may be associated with a 30% reduction in the incidence of coronary heart disease (Martin, 1986). A recent collaborative analysis of 8,300 deaths among 76,000 men and women in five prospective studies concluded that vegetarians have a 24% reduction in mortality from ischaemic heart disease, this increased to 45% in the under 65s. When compared with regular meat eaters the vegetarians showed 34% less mortality (Key, 1998) The California Lifestyle Heart Trial has indicated that a low fat vegetarian diet together with other lifestyle changes such as exercise and stress management can in fact reverse the progress of heart disease, by reducing cholesterol plaques in coronary arteries (Ornish, 1990). Hypertension Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can contribute to heart disease, strokes and kidney failure. A number of studies have shown vegetarians to have lower blood pressures than non-vegetarians (Sacks, 1974, Armstrong, 1977). A vegetarian diet has also been shown to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients (Margetts, 1986). The reason for the low blood pressure associated with vegetarian diets is unclear. The relative leanness of vegetarians is one suggestion, as is the effect of reduced sodium or increased potassium or calcium in the diets of vegetarians. Obesity Vegetarians are leaner than non-vegetarians and their weights are generally closer to desirable levels. The British Medical Association (1986) has stated that vegetarians have lower rates of obesity. Appleby et al (1998) as part of the Oxford Vegetarian Study concluded that non meat eaters are thinner than meat eaters. This may be partly due to a higher intake of dietary fibre, a lower intake of animal fat, and only in men a lower intake of alcohol. Diabetes Snowdon (1985) found type II diabetes to be only half as common as a cause of death amongst the largely vegetarian Seventh Day Adventist population as in the general population. An average vegetarian diet closely matches the British Diabetic Association's recommendations for diabetic patients. Vegetarian diets tend to be high in complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre, which has a beneficial effect on carbohydrate metabolism, lowering blood sugar levels. The leanness of vegetarians also contributes to reduced incidence of diabetes. Diabetes is often associated with raised blood cholesterol levels and a vegetarian diet confers protection against this. Health and Vegetarians Part 3 Further Information The Classified Advertising Directory - for all commercial products and services related to vegetarianism. The EPIC OXFORD STUDY of the health of vegetarians Back to info index