Over the years, we have seen more and more people shifting to vegetarian and plant-based diet. Some opted for this change in lifestyle due to environmental reasons and some due to health. Several studies across the globe even found that vegetarian diet might benefit our overall health in multiple ways. While we agree there's a lot to explore in the world of vegetarianism, new research is making us give a second thought to it. According to a study, conducted by the researchers at University of Leeds, "vegetarians have a 33 percent higher risk of hip fracture than habitual meat eaters". The findings were published in the journal BMC Medicine.
For this study, the researchers conducted a survey on 26318 women and compared the risk of hip fracture in occasional meat eaters, regular meat eaters, pescatarians (people who eat fish not meat) and vegetarians. After a thorough study of over 20 years and after adjusting various factors including smoking habits and age, it was found that "vegetarians were the only diet group with an elevated risk of hip fracture".
Also Read: Vegetarian Diet: All You Need To Know About Vegetarianism
According to a report in ANI, James Webster, the lead author of the study, explained that the research highlights the potential concerns regarding the risks of hip fracture in women with vegetarian diet. "However, it is not warning people to abandon vegetarian diets,"
Webster added, stating, the diet can widely vary from person to person, just like the diet with animal products in it.
The scientists further stress on the need for further research to understand why vegetarians have higher risk of hip fracture.
Considering the study, we say, it is always advised to opt for a healthy and wholesome diet, fortified with every essential nutrient that a body needs for overall growth and development.