Chinese Study Finds Underweight Female Meat Eaters 44% More Likely to Reach 100 Than Vegetarians
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · May 21
Chinese Study Finds Underweight Female Meat Eaters 44% More Likely to Reach 100 Than Vegetarians
2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · May 21
More than 5,000 Chinese adults aged 80 and over were studied, and underweight women who ate meat daily were 44% more likely to become centenarians than vegetarian women.
That link disappeared in women of normal or higher weight, and men showed no significant longevity difference between vegetarian and meat-based diets.
Researchers compared 1,459 centenarians with 3,744 non-centenarians and said BMI partly explained why vegetarianism was tied to lower odds of reaching 100 in some older women.
Vegetarians who still ate fish, eggs or dairy had centenarian odds similar to meat eaters, pointing to calorie and protein sufficiency rather than meat alone.
The authors said the observational study cannot prove cause and effect, but it adds to evidence that very old adults may need different protein and nutrition guidance than younger groups.
For underweight elderly women, is a vegetarian diet a hidden risk to their longevity?
Could being overweight be the surprising key to longevity for older adults, challenging conventional health wisdom?
If BMI is a flawed health metric for seniors, what new science can truly predict their longevity?
Daily Meat Consumption Linked to Increased Longevity in Underweight Elderly Women: Insights from a 5,200-Person Chinese Study
Overview
A major Chinese study followed thousands of adults aged 80 and above to examine how their diets affect longevity. The research found that underweight elderly women who ate meat daily were much more likely to reach 100 years old than those who did not eat meat. However, this benefit was not seen in elderly people with normal or higher body weight. The findings highlight that as people age, their nutritional needs change, and adequate protein from meat may help underweight elderly women live longer. This suggests dietary advice for the oldest-old should be more personalized, focusing on individual health and body weight.