An Oxford University study published in the scientific journal British Medical Journal
A vegetarian or vegan diet increases stroke risk, but reduces heart attack risk. This was established by an Oxford University study published in the scientific journal British Medical Journal. According to the researchers, a meat-free diet lowers the total cholesterol level and reduces the intake of vitamins – especially B12 and D – which act as protection against stroke. The study, which looked at 50,000 Britons over the age of 18 over 10 years, found that vegetarians and vegans have 20% more chance of being hit by a stroke than those who consume meat.
The positive side of the coin is that the diet itself reduces the risk of heart attack and heart disease by 22%. According to experts, the reasons could be linked to a lower body mass index, a low blood pressure and a lower incidence of diabetes. “Research suggests that the vegetarian diet may not be a universally beneficial option for all health-related aspects,” Cambridge University’s Stephen Burgess told Telegraph .
But the study does not convince everyone. “People on alternative diets are likely to be less likely to take high blood pressure medications and suffer stroke as a result,” Professor Tom Sanders of King’s College London suggested to the Guardian . “The fact that the research is based on self-declarations. In addition, the study mainly involved whites living in the United Kingdom, therefore it is not clear whether the results would have been the same for other populations as well.
However, according to Frankie Phillips, a dietitian from the British Dietetic Association, vegetarians and vegans should not be alarmed by the results, because the study does not demonstrate a cause and effect relationship. On the contrary, “everyone could benefit from consuming more plants”. “This does not necessarily mean becoming completely vegan or vegetarian” but increasing the consumption of vegetables against meat.
