Study: Vegetarians Less Healthy than Meat Eaters

Vegetarians are less healthy and have a worse quality of life than meat eaters, according to a study by the University of Graz, Austria.

According to the study, those who abstain from meat are “less healthy (in terms of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders), have a lower quality of life, and also require more medical treatment.”

Vegetarians were twice as likely to have atopy (allergies), a 50 percent increase in cancer and a 50 percent increase in heart attacks. They also drank less alcohol.

This is not the first time counter-intuitive research has shown the negative effects of consuming a meat-free diet.

In 2010 the WHO published a study where 30,604 people were followed for an average of 8.7 years on their fruit and vegetable consumption. Those who consumed the recommended 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables a day did not have less cancer nor enjoyed better health. They were even forced to conclude the opposite.

“A very small inverse association between intake of total fruits and vegetables and cancer risk was observed in this study.”

This study even concluded that a “..growing body of epidemiological, clinical and experimental evidence suggesting that regular cheese intake may reduce the risk of cardiovascular outcomes.”

On alcohol those who drink moderately have far lower levels of heart disease and consequently live longer than tee totallers.

The WHO’s study into passive smoking also found no statistical significant correlation with lung cancer and heart disease. Astonishingly the only subset section of information was that children exposed to tobacco smoke have a statistically significant 22 percent reduction in lung cancer in later life.

Many will be surprised and even disappointed at the findings of the University of Gratz’s study. However there is plenty of evidence that what we are being told on health at best not evidence based and at worst blatant misleading.