Health
news can be so depressing. Virtually every day, we see discouraging reports about
heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. We're warned
that certain drugs can be nearly as harmful as the conditions that they're meant
to treat. We're reminded that antibiotic-resistant superbugs are spreading like
wildfire, and we're cautioned that childhood obesity rates have tripled in the
past 30 years. Obesity now kills three times as many people worldwide as
malnutrition. There is real cause for concern. But there is also a good reason
to be optimistic. In a study published recently, researchers from Loma Linda
University in California shared some encouraging news: Vegetarians live longer than
meat-eaters.
The
findings from the large-scale study--which was funded by the National Institutes
of Health--should remind us that we aren't powerless victims of chronic disease.
We can all be healthier just by bypassing the meat counter and opting for
plant-based meals.
The
researchers tracked more than 73,000 Seventh-day Adventists for nearly six
years. They used questionnaires to find out what type of diet the participants
ate (many, but not all, Seventh-day Adventists are vegetarian) and then
followed up to find out how many of the participants had died and how.
Here's
what they discovered: The vegetarian (and mostly vegetarian) participants--people
included in this group ranged from those who didn't eat any animal-based foods
at all to those who ate meat only once a week--were 12 percent less likely to
die prematurely than those who ate meat regularly. Those in the vegetarian
group were 19 percent less likely to die from heart disease, in particular,
and were also less likely to die from diabetes and kidney failure. In addition,
they tended to be thinner and have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Although
the researchers were quick to note that the vegetarians were more likely to
exercise and less likely to smoke or drink in excess, they attributed their
findings largely to the participants' food choices. The researchers weren't completely
sure why a plant-based diet has such a protective effect, but they speculated
that it's because plant foods tend to be higher in fiber and lower in saturated
fat.
And
unlike meat, which contains high amounts of
cholesterol, sodium, nitrates and other unhealthy ingredients, plant-based
foods are cholesterol-free and contain phytochemicals and antioxidants that help
combat carcinogens and other harmful substances in the body.
Other
studies, including a previous one involving about 30,000 Seventh-day Adventists,
have also suggested that people who eat wholesome plant-based foods live longer
than meat-eaters. Because of these studies, many hospitals and healthcare facilities
around the U.S., including Boston Medical Center and St. John's Well Child &
Family Center in Los Angeles, have initiated programs to encourage people to
eat more plant-based foods. Medical providers at the L.A. facility, for
example, have begun writing "prescriptions" for patients to buy
organic fruits and vegetables. By promoting vegan foods, healthcare
practitioners hope to help patients maintain a healthy weight and prevent--and sometimes
even reverse--deadly diseases.
We
can't predict when or how we'll die, but we can try to increase our life expectancy
and quality of life. Choosing vegan foods rather than meat, eggs and dairy products is a
simple way to help ensure that you'll be with your loved ones--and not in an
emergency room--for as long as possible.
Heather Moore is
a staff writer for the PETA Foundation, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510; www.PETA.org.
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