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                            VegSocUK Information Sheet
                              THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY


   ___________________________________

                             HEALTH AND VEGETARIANS

   A vegetarian diet is known to confer a wide range of health benefits.
   Research has shown vegetarians to suffer less heart disease, hypertension,
   obesity, diabetes, various cancers, diverticular disease, bowel disorders,
   gall stones, kidney stones, and osteoporosis (Dwyer, 1988). Vegetarian diets
   have also been used in the treatment of various illnesses, including
   rheumatoid arthritis and nephrotic syndrome.

   Dickerson & Davies (1986) studied matched pairs of vegetarians and
   non-vegetarians with regard to their general health. It was found that the
   vegetarians made 22% of the visits to hospital out-patients of
   non-vegetarians, and spent a similarly reduced proportion of time in
   hospital.

  A HEALTHY VEGETARIAN DIET

   A typical vegetarian diet closely matches expert dietary recommendations for
   healthy eating, being low in saturated fat and high in fibre, complex
   carbohydrates, and fresh fruit and vegetables.

   The 1983 NACNE Report (National Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education) in
   the UK recommended a reduction in fat intake, particularly saturated fat, and
   an increased dietary proportion of polyunsaturated fats to saturated fats. An
   increased intake of complex carbohydrates and fibre and a decreased intake of
   sugar and salt were also recommended.

   The World Health Organisation (1990) has similarly recommended a reduced
   intake of fat and increased consumption of complex carbohydrates. Increased
   consumption of fruit, vegetables, cereals and pulses is also recommended.

   The nutritional guidelines from the World Health Organisation, the NACNE
   Report and other expert bodies form the basis of advice given on healthy
   eating by health professionals today.

   Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in total fat. Taber & Cook (1980) found
   lacto-ovo vegetarians to consume an average of 35% of energy as fat, compared
   to omnivores consuming over 40% of energy as fat. A study of the diets of a
   group of French vegetarians found they had a daily intake of 25% less fat
   than non-vegetarians (Millet, 1989). Vegetarians also tend to eat
   proportionally more polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat compared with
   non-vegetarians. Animal products are the major sources of dietary saturated
   fat.

   The best dietary sources of complex carbohydrates and fibre (also called
   non-starch polysaccharides or NSP's) include wholegrain cereals, vegetables
   and pulses and so vegetarian diets tend to be high in these nutrients. Animal
   products contain no fibre or complex carbohydrate.

   Recent research has demonstrated the importance of protective antioxident
   nutrients in the diet found in fresh fruit and vegetables. These antioxident
   nutrients include the beta-carotene form of vitamin A, vitamin C and E. Many
   researchers now believe that these nutrients play a major role in reducing
   the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. A high
   consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables is a benefit of vegetarian diets.

   All these factors contribute to the proven health of vegetarians although it
   is difficult to account for the exact contribution of each nutrient. All
   vegetarian diets are not necessarily healthy, for example if too high a
   proportion of high fat dairy products are consumed.

  HEART DISEASE

   Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality in Britain, being
   responsible for around 50% of all deaths. The majority of these deaths are
   from coronary heart disease.

   Vegetarians suffer markedly lower mortality from coronary heart disease
   compared to non-vegetarians. This reduced risk may be related to the lower
   blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians.

   Data from the Oxford Vegetarian Study suggested that the incidence of
   coronary heart disease may be 24% lower in vegetarians and 57% lower in
   vegans (Thorogood, 1987).

   Burr & Butland (1988) found vegetarians to suffer significantly lower
   mortality from heart disease than health conscious non- vegetarians.
   Mortality from ischaemic heart disease was 57% lower in vegetarians than the
   general population, and 18% lower than in non-vegetarians following a healthy
   lifestyle. Deaths due to cerebrovascular disease was 43% lower in the
   vegetarians compared with the general population.

   A study of nearly 28 000 Seventh Day Adventists in California noted a clear
   trend of increasing incidence of heart disease with rising frequency of meat
   consumption (Snowdon, 1988).

   The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study examined
   diet in relation to health in over 5000 young adults aged 18 to 30.
   Vegetarians were found to have greatly improved cardiovascular fitness and a
   lower risk of heart disease (Slattery, 1991). A low level of meat consumption
   was linked to improved general health.

   An eleven-year study of 1900 German vegetarians has found mortality from
   cardiovascular disease to be 61% lower in male vegetarians and 44% lower in
   female vegetarians than the general population. For ischaemic heart disease,
   mortality was reduced still further, to only one-third of that expected
   (Claude-Chang, 1992).

   The protective effect of a vegetarian diet is believed to be related to the
   lower blood cholesterol levels seen in vegetarians. Repeated studies have
   demonstrated the low blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians (Resnicow,
   1991). Thorogood (1990) found vegetarians to have cholesterol levels 10%
   lower than health conscious meat-eaters. High blood cholesterol is a primary
   risk factor in heart disease. Significantly, vegetarians have lower levels of
   low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the cholesterol fraction
   particularly associated with heart disease.

   Research has suggested that a 10% reduction in blood cholesterol may be
   associated with a 30% reduction in the incidence of coronary heart disease
   (Martin, 1986).

   The California Lifestyle Heart Trial has indicated that a low fat vegetarian
   diet together with other lifestyle changes such as exercise and stress
   management can in fact reverse the progress of heart disease, by reducing
   cholesterol plaques in coronary arteries (Ornish, 1990).

  HYPERTENSION

   Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can contribute to heart disease,
   strokes and kidney failure. A number of studies have shown vegetarians to
   have lower blood pressures than non-vegetarians (Sacks, 1974, Armstrong,
   1977).

   A vegetarian diet has also been shown to reduce blood pressure in
   hypertensive patients (Margetts, 1986).

   The reason for the low blood pressure associated with vegetarian diets is
   unclear. The relative leanness of vegetarians is one suggestion, as is the
   effect of reduced sodium or increased potassium or calcium in the diets of
   vegetarians.

  OBESITY

   Vegetarians are leaner than non-vegetarians and their weights are generally
   closer to desirable levels. The British Medical Association (1986) has stated
   that vegetarians have lower rates of obesity. This may be due partly due to
   vegetarians being more aware of diet and leading healthy lifestyles in other
   respects. Also, the energy intake of vegetarian diets tends to be lower, with
   a lower proportion of energy from fat.

  DIABETES

   Snowdon (1985) found type II diabetes to be only half as common as a cause of
   death amongst the largely vegetarian Seventh Day Adventist population as in
   the general population.

   An average vegetarian diet closely matches the British Diabetic Association's
   recommendations for diabetic patients. Vegetarian diets tend to be high in
   complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre, which has a beneficial effect on
   carbohydrate metabolism,  lowering blood sugar levels. The leanness of
   vegetarians also contributes to reduced incidence of diabetes. Diabetes is
   often associated with raised blood cholesterol levels and a vegetarian diet
   confers protection against this.

  CANCER

   Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Britain, accounting for 25% of
   all deaths. It has been estimated that diet may be linked to 30-70% of
   cancers (Doll, 1990). Certain cancers, such as colon, breast and prostate are
   clearly diet related. A study of 23 000 largely vegetarian Seventh Day
   Adventists found cancer mortality rates to be 50-70% of those of the general
   population for several cancer sites unrelated to smoking or alcohol
   (Phillips, 1975).

   Professor Nick Day of the University of Cambridge and the European
   Prospective Study into Cancer has stated that vegetarians may suffer 40%
   fewer cancers than the general population.

   The World Cancer Research Fund's dietary advice to minimise cancer risk
   involve reducing the intake of dietary fat and increasing the consumption of
   fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.

  COLON CANCER

   Vegetarians have lower rates of colon cancer than non-vegetarians (Phillips,
   1980). Incidence of colon cancer has been strongly linked to the consumption
   of meat (Armstrong, 1975). Willett (1990) carried out a study of over 88 000
   women aged 34 to 59 years. Women eating red meat daily ran over twice the
   risk of developing colon cancer than women eating red meat less than once a
   month.

   Reduced incidence of colon cancer in vegetarians may be attributed to dietary
   differences which include increased fibre intake, increased consumption of
   fruit and vegetables, and decreased intake of total fat and saturated fat.
   The mechanism by which a vegetarian diet is protective against colon cancer
   is unclear and a great deal of research is being carried out in this area.

   It has been suggested that secondary bile acids are carcinogens which may
   play an important role in colon cancer. These are derived by bacterial
   metabolism from primary bile acids made in the liver and secreted into the
   intestine. Vegetarians have lower levels of secondary bile acids than
   non-vegetarians (Turjiman, 1984). The differences in bacterial populations
   between the intestines of vegetarians and non-vegetarians may also be
   important. Bacterial flora in vegetarians has been shown to possess reduc ed
   ability to transform bile acids into potential carcinogens (Johansson, 1990).


   The role of dietary fibre in prevention of colon cancer may also be
   important. This was first noted in 1971 when it was suggested the high
   incidence of colon cancer in Western countries was linked to low fibre diets.
   Other dietary components associated with high fibre foods have also been
   implicated as having protective effects.


  BREAST CANCER

   Evidence also suggests a vegetarian diet is protective against breast cancer
   (Phillips, 1975). This may be due to the increased fibre and reduced fat
   intake of vegetarian diets. Vegetarian diets can alter the levels of
   circulating sex hormones which may have a beneficial effect. Fibre is thought
   to be protective by modifying circulating oestrogen levels.

   Studies of adolescent girls have shown age of menarche to be delayed in
   vegetarians (Sabate, 1992). Later age of menarche is believed to lower the
   risk of breast cancer in adult life.

  OTHER CANCERS

   Studies have shown vegetarians to suffer less from various other cancers.

   Mills (1989) studied the incidence of prostate cancer amongst 14 000 Seventh
   Day Adventists and found a relationship between increased risk and increasing
   animal product consumption.

   Mills (1988) also found pancreatic cancer to be associated with consumption
   of animal products. Increasing consumption of fruit, vegetables and pulses
   was shown to have a protective effect.

   Rao (1989) found a vegetarian diet to be protective against oesophageal
   cancer.

   Studies have also shown vegetarians to have lower incidence of lung cancer.
   This can be largely attributed to vegetarians tending to be non-smokers. High
   consumption of fruit has also shown to be protective against lung cancer
   (Fraser, 1991).

  DIVERTICULAR DISEASE

   Diverticular disease affects the colon and symptoms include lower abdominal
   pain and disturbed bowel habit. It occurs frequently in western countries
   where intake of dietary fibre is low. Gear (1979) found diverticular disease
   to be less frequent in vegetarians, 12% of vegetarians studied having
   diverticular disease compared with 33% of non-vegetarians. This is thought to
   be due to the increased fibre of vegetarian diets.

  GALL STONES

   Gall stones are composed of cholesterol, bile pigments and calcium salts.
   They form in the gall bladder and can cause severe pain. A study of over 750
   women found the incidence of gall stones to be less frequent in vegetarians.
   25% of non-vegetarians compared with 12% of vegetarians had gall stones.
   After controlling for age and body weight, non-vegetarians were found to have
   a relative risk of gall stones almost twice that of the vegetarians (Pixley,
   1985).

   Vegetarians are leaner, and consume more dietary fibre and less dietary
   cholesterol, all of which is believed to protect against gall stone
   formation.

  KIDNEY STONES

   Kidney stones form in the kidney and can cause considerable pain when passing
   down the urinary tract. Prevalence of kidney stones is lower in vegetarians
   (Peacock, 1969).

   A high intake of animal protein increases the urinary loss of calcium and
   oxalate, known risk factors in kidney stone formation. Meat is also high in
   purines which leads to increased uric acid in the urine. Urinary uric acid is
   also a risk factor for kid ney stones.

  OSTEOPOROSIS

   Osteoporosis is the loss of calcium from bone tissue, leading to bones that
   are brittle and liable to fracture. It is most commonly seen in
   postmenopausal women.

   Some studies have suggested that vegetarians may be at lower risk of
   osteoporosis than non-vegetarians. Marsh (1988) found bone loss to be
   considerably less in postmenopausal women who were vegetarian than those who
   were non-vegetarian. The non-vegetarian diet contained higher amounts of
   sulphur, which derived from animal protein. Dietary sulphur increases the
   acidity of urine, which results in increased urinary calcium loss. Increased
   urinary calcium loss is related to increased calcium loss from bone  tissue.

   Hip fractures associated with osteoporosis has been shown to be higher in
   countries consuming a diet high in animal protein (Abelow, 1992).

  OTHER DISEASES

   A vegetarian diet has been claimed to reduce the risk of gout, hiatus hernia,
   constipation, haemorrhoids, and varicose veins. These diseases are linked to
   diets low in fibre and high in saturated fat.

  FOOD POISONING & PESTICIDE RESIDUES

   Over 58 000 cases of food poisoning were reported in 1990 and the actual
   incidence of food poisoning is estimated to be ten times this figure. Meat,
   eggs and dairy products are the primary sources of food poisoning. Professor
   Richard Lacey of the University of Leeds has stated that "More than 95% of
   food poisoning is derived from meat and poultry products".

   Pesticide residues in foods include PCB's and dioxins. These are found in
   highest concentrations in meat, fish and dairy products. Studies have shown
   these toxic chemicals can be passed on from pregnant women to infants during
   both pregnancy and lactation and may damage the developing nervous systems.
   Hall (1992) has stated a vegetarian diet minimises the risk of contamination.

  RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

   Studies have shown that vegetarian diets can be successfully used to treat
   the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
   Kjeldsen-Kragh (1991) found that rheumatoid arthritis patients following a
   vegetarian diet suffered considerably fewer swollen and tender joints and
   less stiffness or pain.

  NEPHROTIC SYNDROME

   Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney condition involving high levels of protein in
   the urine which may lead to progressive kidney damage as well as promoting
   atherosclerosis and heart disease. Studies have shown a low protein vegan
   diet can be used to reduce the symptoms of nephrotic syndrome (D'Amico,
   1992).

  THE CHINA HEALTH PROJECT

   The China Project on Nutrition, Health & Environment is a massive study
   involving researchers from China, Cornell University in Boston, and the
   University of Oxford, into the relationships between diet, lifestyles and
   disease-related mortality in 6500 Chinese subjects from 65 mostly rural or
   semi-rural counties.

   The rural Chinese diet is largely vegetarian or vegan, and involves less
   total protein, less animal protein, less total fat and animal fat, and more
   carbohydrate and fibre than the average Western diet. Blood cholesterol
   levels are significantly lower. Heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and
   osteoporosis are all uncommon. Areas in which they are becoming more frequent
   are areas where the population has moved towards a more Western diet with
   increasing consumption of animal products.

   The China Health Project has clearly demonstrated the health benefits of a
   diet based on plant foods. One of the Project's co-ordinators, Dr Colin
   Campbell of Cornell University, has stated that "We're basically a vegetarian
   species and should be eating a wide variety of plant foods and minimising our
   intake of animal foods."

    REFERENCES

Abelow, B J et al. (1992) Cross-cultural association between dietary
animal protein and hip-fracture. Calcified Tissue International v.50
p.14-18.

Armstrong, B. (1977) Blood pressure in Seventh Day Adventist
vegetarians. Am Jnl Epidemiology v.105 p.444-9

British Medical Association (1986). Diet, nutrition and health. BMA, London.

Burr, M & Butland, B. (1988) Heart disease in British vegetarians. Am Jnl Clinical Nutrition v.48 p.830-2.

Claude-Chang, J et al. (1992) Mortality pattern of German vegetarians
after 11 years of follow-up. Epidemiology v.3 (5) p.395-401.

D'Amico, G et al. (1992) Effect of vegetarian soy diet on
hyperlipidaemia in nephrotic syndrome. The Lancet v.339 p.1131-34.

Dickerson, J & Davies, J. (1986) Consequences for health of a vegetarian
diet, Postdoctoral thesis, University of Surrey.

Doll, R. (1990) Symposium on diet and cancer. Proc of the Nutrition Society v.49
p.119-31.

Dwyer, J T. (1988) Health aspects of vegetarian diets. Am Jnl Clinical Nutrition
v.48 p.712-38.

Fraser, G et al (1991) Diet and lung cancer in Seventh Day Adventists.
Am Jnl Epidemiology v.133 p.683-93.

Gear, J S et al. (1979) Symptomless diverticular disease and intake of
dietary fibre. The Lancet v.1 p.511-14.

Hall, R H. (1992) A new threat to public health: organochlorines and
food. Nutrition & Health v.8 p.33-43.

Johansson, G et al. (1990) Shift from a mixed diet to a lactovegetarian
diet: influence on some cancer-associated intestinal bacterial enzyme
activities. Nutrition & Cancer v.14 p.239-46.

Kjeldsen-Kragh, J et al. (1991) Controlled trial of fasting and one-year
vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. The Lancet v.338 p.899-902.

Margetts, B M et al. (1986) Vegetarian diet in mild hypertension: a
randomised controlled trial. BMJ v.293 p.1468-71.

Marsh, A G et al. (1988) Vegetarian lifestyle and bone mineral density.
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Martin, M J et al. (1986) Serum cholesterol, blood pressure and
mortality: implications from a cohort study of 361 662 men. The Lancet
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Millet, P et al. (1989) Nutrient intake and vitamin status of healthy
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p.718-27.

Mills P K et al. (1988) Dietary habits and past medical history as
related to fatal pancreas cancer risk among Adventist men. Cancer v.61
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Mills, P K et al. (1989) Cohort study of diet, lifestyle and prostate cancer in
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Ornish, D et al. (1990) Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart
disease ? The Lancet v.336 p.129-33.

Peacock, M et al. (1969) Hypercalcuria of renal stone disease. Proc of
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Phillips, R L et al. (1985) Role of lifestyle and dietary habits in risk
of cancer amongst Seventh Day Adventists. Cancer Research v.35
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Phillips, R L et al. (1980) Mortality among California Seventh Day
Adventists for selected cancer sites. Jnl National Cancer Institute v.65
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Pixley, F et al. (1985) Effect of vegetarianism on development of gall stones in
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Rao, P N et al. (1989) Epidemiology of oesophageal cancer. Seminars in Surgery &
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Resnicow, K et al. (1991) Diet and serum lipids in vegan vegetarians.
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Sabate, J et al. (1992) Lower height of lacto-ovo vegetarian girls at
pre-adolescence: an indicator of physical maturation delay. Jnl Am
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Sacks, F M et al. (1974) Blood pressure in vegetarians. Am Jnl
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Slattery, M et al. (1991) Meat consumption and its associations with
other diet and health factors in young adults: the CARDIA study. Am Jnl
Clinical Nutrition v.54 p.930-35.

Snowdon, D. (1985) Does a vegetarian diet reduce the occurrence of
diabetes ? Am Jnl Public Health v.75 p.507-12.

Snowdon, D. (1988) Animal product consumption and mortality because of
all causes combined, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and
cancer in Seventh Day Adventist. Am Jnl Clinical Nutrition v.48
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Taber, L A. & Cook, R A. (1980) Dietary and anthropometric assessment of
adult omnivores, fish-eaters and lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Jnl Am Dietetic
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Thorogood, M et al. (1987) Plasma lipids and lipoprotein cholesterol in
people with different diets in Britain. BMJ v.295 p.351-3.

Thorogood, M et al. (1990) Dietary intake and plasma lipid levels:
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Turjiman, N et al. (1984) Diet, nutrition and metabolism in populations
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chronic diseases. WHO, Geneva.

   ___________________________________


//
This article is copyright to the Vegetarian Society (UK), but may be freely
copied for non-commercial use provided it is kept intact, not altered
and these lines are included.

For futher information contact: The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road,
Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4QG, England. Tel: (England) 061 928 0793
email: [e-mail]
//



[The text of this file was obtained from the Vegetarian Society (UK) in
March 1995.]