The Dangers of Completely Cutting Out Meat: How Does Quality of Life Change?

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Can vegetarianism lead to a lower quality of life?

There are conflicting news and research on food in the blogosphere every month, writes Big Think. Fish is harmful to health. Fish is good for your health. Coconut oil is a superfood. Coconut oil will give you a heart attack. Red meat … Algae … and so on.

Unfortunately, studies published in the media are often based on very little data or without considering additional factors. This is especially true of food, because, in addition to their composition, we are also influenced by the environment, the level of activity and genetics. Some people simply metabolize certain foods better than others. Thus, there is no perfect diet.

Michael Pollan's advice “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants”has become the mantra of the modern era. The first part is a reminder to eat real food, not the processed chemicals that dominate supermarket shelves. The second is personal responsibility: don't overeat. Recognize the connection between emotional problems and drinking.

Now, what does “mostly plants” really mean?

A team of Austrian researchers from the Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology of the Medical University of Graz studied more than 15,000 Austrians aged 15 and over.

Of those 15,000+ Austrian citizens, the team analyzed data from 1,320 people: 330 vegetarians and 330 carnivores who ate a lot of fruits and vegetables, 330 carnivores who ate little meat, and 330 who ate a lot of meat.

They took into account age, gender and socioeconomic factors when comparing groups. As a result, 76.4 percent of this group turned out to be women, with 40 percent being under 30 years of age. Another 35 percent were between the ages of 30 and 50.

Interestingly, despite the positive promises of vegetarianism, the group found the following:

Overall, the results showed that vegetarians report subjectively poor health, seek health care more often, have more chronic conditions, and have a lower overall quality of life.

They also found a "significantly higher risk" of cancer in vegetarians, as well as increased rates of anxiety and depression. Another study was mentioned that shows an increased risk of mental disorders in vegetarians. Vegetarians take more medication than even casual meat eaters.

But there is good news as well. Vegetarians have a lower BMI and are less likely to suffer from cholesterol problems, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and type 2 diabetes.

They also have higher socioeconomic status, although the correlation may not be tantamount to causality: many lower-income workers may not be able to afford high-quality herbal products.

Vegetarians also treat their bodies better: they exercise more and smoke and drink less.

The correlation between BMI and meat is also clear. Carnivores who eat a lot of meat have the highest BMI, while pure vegetarians have the lowest. Again, the correlation and causality are not clear, as meat eaters also show much higher alcohol consumption, which is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to get better.

Interestingly, vegetarians are vaccinated and visit a doctor less often than other groups, which may also affect health. Given the questionable marketing tactics of "health food" brands that claim "food is medicine" and call them "superfood", it's no surprise that some vegetarians see their diet as a panacea.

The command output is absolutely clear:

Our research has shown that vegetarian adults in Austria are less healthy (in terms of cancer, allergies and mental health problems), have a poorer quality of life, and need regular treatment.

This means that the diet must be balanced! And a complete rejection of meat is just as harmful as an excess of it.