Bone health – it’s all about quality
Previous studies have suggested vegans may have lower bone mineral density (BMD) and a small but significantly increased fracture risk than meat-eaters. This new small-scale study found no significant difference in BMD between vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters. While all groups had ‘strengths and weaknesses’ regarding nutrient intake, the authors note how vegans now have access to a variety of ethically sourced supplements and foods fortified with vitamins D and B12, as well as calcium.
New findings from the US Nurses’ Health Study (based on over 70,000 postmenopausal women participating from 1984 to 2014) revealed that following a plant-based diet over many years was not linked to an increased risk of hip fracture. However, when they looked at recent food intakes alone, those with a healthy plant-based diet had a 21 per cent lower risk of fracture while those eating an unhealthy plant-based diet had a 28 per cent higher risk. More research is needed to determine why only recent diet had this effect.
Gachenko A, Rizzo G, Sidorova E et al. 2024. Bone mineral density parameters and related nutritional factors in vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and omnivores: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Nutrition. Volume 11.
Sotos-Prieto M, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Fung TT et al. 2024. Plant-based diets and risk of hip fracture in postmenopausal women. JAMA Network Open. 7 (2) e241107.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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