Women who eat meat may be more likely to reach 100 years old than women who eat only vegetarian food, according to a Chinese study of older people. But the results, though, have a crucial point: they were mainly associated with underweight people.
The study examined more than 5,000 adults aged 80 and above. It looked at whether diet habits were related to the likelihood of becoming a centenarian, one who lives to at least 100 years.
The findings provide new insights into the relationship between nutrition, body weight and longevity. But they do not prove that eating meat directly helps people live longer.
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What Did the Study Find?
Researchers compared 1,459 people who had reached 100 with 3,744 adults in their eighties and nineties. The participants came from China's Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.
The researchers discovered that women who consumed meat were more likely to live to 100 than women who followed a vegetarian diet. There was no statistically significant relationship between vegetarianism and longevity in men.
However, the results were different according to body weight. The association between meat consumption and reaching 100 was mainly found in underweight participants.
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Why Does Body Weight Matter?
The researchers found that daily meat consumption was associated with a 44% higher likelihood of reaching 100 in underweight participants. This association was not seen among normal weight or those who were overweight.
One possible explanation is that older people with low body weight could develop nutritional needs differently. Supplementation of energy and protein is harder as people get older. If energy and protein are not provided, muscles lose weight, weakness and other health problems may arise.
Meat provides protein and many important nutrients. But these nutrients can also come from other foods (e.g., eggs, dairy products, fish, beans, lentils, nuts and soy products).
The results indicate nutritional adequacy and weight can be very important to longevity.
Does This Mean Vegetarians Should Start Eating Meat?
No. The study does not show that everyone needs to eat meat to live longer.
Vegetarians who ate fish, dairy or eggs had longevity results similar to that of meat-eaters. This suggests that the whole diet quality and diet composition is more important than the amount of meat one eats.
A structured vegetarian diet can provide protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. But people who have restricted diets, and especially older adults who have low body weight, should pay more attention to their total energy consumption and vitamins and minerals.
Anyone suffering from unexplained weight loss, decreased appetite and weakness should seek a healthcare professional’s advice to determine whether it is related to nutritional or medical causes.
What are the limitations of the research?
The findings should be taken very seriously because the study identified an association rather than a cause-and-effect relationship.
The study examined dietary habits in later life and did not examine changes in participants’ diets over time. It therefore cannot say if eating meat increased the likelihood of reaching 100 or whether other factors affected the results.
Health conditions, income, access to healthcare, physical activity and overall dietary quality may all affect longevity. The findings of older adults in China may not apply equally to people in other countries or younger age groups.
The study also does not show that eating more meat will improve life expectancy in healthy adults with normal body weight.
What does the research mean for healthy ageing?
The findings underline the need for nutrition to be adequate as we age. Muscle strength and overall health can be enhanced if protein is supplied, weight is not sacrificed and a variety of diets is taken into consideration.
People can get protein from animal and plant-based foods. Options include pulses, beans, lentils, dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, nuts and seeds.
The type of meat is also important. Processed meat like bacon, sausages and ham have been linked to health problems; excessive consumption of red meat is also associated with health risks.
Rather than treating meat consumption as a guaranteed route to longevity, the study points to a more important question: whether older adults are receiving enough nutrients to maintain their health.
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