A recent Chinese study found that avoiding meat may be linked to a lower chance of reaching 100 years of age, contrary to the common belief that plant-based diets are the healthiest option for longevity.
A surprising Chinese study links meat consumption to the chances of reaching 100 years of age.
The large-scale study showed that meat-eaters were more likely to reach this advanced age compared to vegetarians, even after taking into account influencing factors such as smoking and exercise.
The results showed that those who abstained from eating meat were 19% less likely to reach the age of 100 compared to meat eaters, while this percentage rose to 29% among strict vegetarians who do not consume any animal products.
Vegetarians who include eggs and dairy products in their diet have a 14% lower chance of reaching 100 years of age compared to meat-eaters, and vegetarian diets that include fish have also been associated with a lower chance of reaching this age.
The researchers attributed these differences to the nutritional needs of older adults, noting that plant-based diets may not provide some essential nutrients in sufficient quantities as people age.
A new secret to longevity and living to 100 years old
Dr. Xiang Gao, the lead researcher on the study from Fudan University, said that a diet combining plant and animal foods may be more supportive of people aged 80 and over surviving to 100, especially those who are underweight.
The study included 5,203 participants in the Chinese Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey, all of whom were 80 years of age or older at the start of the study in 1998. Of these, 1,495 reached the age of 100, while 3,744 participants died before reaching this age.
Using statistical tools, the researchers analyzed the health data of the participants to determine the relationship between diet and chances of reaching the age of one hundred, and concluded that continuing to eat meat as part of a balanced diet was associated with higher chances of survival.
However, the researchers stressed that these results do not mean advocating a diet that is entirely based on meat, as the study showed that vegetables have a pivotal role in supporting longevity.
The results indicated that daily vegetable consumption was associated with an 84% greater likelihood of reaching the age of 100 compared to those who did not consume them regularly.
The study also revealed that the effect of diet varies according to the physical condition of the elderly; vegetarians with a healthy body mass index were no less likely to reach the age of 100 compared to meat-eaters, while no statistically significant effect of diet was recorded among those who were overweight.
Conversely, daily meat consumption was associated with a 44% increased likelihood of reaching the age of 100 among underweight individuals.
In their research paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers confirmed that following a balanced diet that combines plant and animal foods may contribute to supporting longevity, especially among underweight elderly people.
