this study aimed to investigate the association between vegetarian diet and risk of frailty in a nationwide representative cohort of Chinese community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years old).
During a median follow-up of 3.0 (IQR: 1.83–5.33) years, vegetarians showed a higher risk of incident frailty (HR [95% CI]: 1.13 [1.07, 1.20]) compared to omnivores. Similar patterns were observed across subgroups of vegetarian diet, including pesco-vegetarians (HR [95% CI]: 1.15 [1.05, 1.26]), ovo-lacto-vegetarians (HR [95% CI]: 1.11 [1.02, 1.20]), and vegans (HR [95% CI]: 1.12 [1.01, 1.25]). In terms of diet trajectory, maintaining vegetarian diets (HR [95% CI]: 1.19 [1.03, 1.38]), transition from the omnivorous diet to vegetarian diets (HR [95% CI]: 1.16 [1.04, 1.30]), and transition from vegetarian diets to the omnivorous diet (HR [95% CI]: 1.14 [1.02, 1.27]) were all associated with higher risks of frailty, compared with maintaining an omnivorous diet.
In this prospective study, vegetarian diets were observed to be associated with higher frailty risk, compared to the omnivorous diet in Chinese older adults. Future research is needed to confirm our observations.
Full Paper: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04232-6
Glad to see this research. Fragility or elders is real, and recovery after a fall is significantly worse in the frail elderly population. With that being said, the environmental impact of eating meat, especially beef, affects everyone, not just the individual, and red meat consumption is linked to multiple inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases for the individual. Medical treatment adds cost and pollution to the system, whether that be for surgery after a fall or cardiovascular surgery after an MI. Adding in the ethical treatment of living animals, and there is a strong argument for not eating meat. As a parent and practitioner, I make decisions for the greater whole, and generally not eating meat is just one thing I can do to make the world better for others. Is my choice going to save the world, no, but small changes can help. And I still eat meat, but only occasionally and generally not red meat unless it is wild game. To each their own. Cheers
If you don't like eating red meat, having fish or other meat you're happy with each day will provide a fair bit of protection
But be aware that the studies linking red meat to inflammation and heart disease were badly flawed, for example they counted a McDonald's burger meal or a pizza as meat despite most of the calories coming from sugar and bread respectively
I had an inflammatory illness (gout)cured by beef only carnivore, which wouldn't have worked if the beef fat which has been the bulk of my calories was inflammatory. My heart numbers improved after going on meat only, and there has been a controlled study comparing years long carnivore dieters to the general population and found the carnivores' heart health to be better than the average
Would you like to talk about the strength of that link? It seems looking outside of epidemiology that red meat is protective in old age, and avoiding carbohydrates (so keto + meat) removes inflammatory and atherosclerotic risk... at least from the data I've been reading. I'm happy to discuss at exhaustive length.
Yes, this is absolutely true. People willing to sacrafice themselves so others have better lives is something I can only commend.