{"id":28000,"date":"2025-04-17T16:44:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28000\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T16:44:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:44:12","slug":"meat-or-veg-plant-based-protein-is-linked-to-a-longer-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28000\/","title":{"rendered":"Meat or veg? Plant-based protein is linked to a longer life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"tofu\"<\/p>\n

Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain<\/p>\n

A global study by experts at the University of Sydney has shown that countries that consume more plant-based proteins\u2014such as chickpeas, tofu and peas\u2014have longer adult life expectancies.<\/p>\n

In a study published<\/a> in Nature Communications, Dr. Alistair Senior, Ph.D. candidate Caitlin Andrews and their team in the Charles Perkins Center studied food supply<\/a> and demographic data<\/a> between 1961 and 2018 from 101 countries, with the data corrected to account for population size and wealth, to understand whether the type of protein<\/a> a population consumed had an impact on longevity.<\/p>\n

First author Caitlin Andrews said, “Our study suggests a mixed picture when it comes to comparing the health impacts of meat- versus plant-based protein at a population level.<\/p>\n

“For the under-fives, a food system<\/a> that supplies large amounts of animal-based proteins and fats\u2014such as meat, eggs and dairy\u2014lowered rates of infant mortality. However, for adults, the reverse was true, where plant-based proteins increased overall life expectancy<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Methodology<\/p>\n

To understand the impact of plant- and animal-based protein diets on human longevity, the researchers analyzed publicly available data about the food<\/a> supply of 101 countries across a 60-year period. The data included the amount of food produced per country, along with the levels of calories, proteins and fats available for consumption.<\/p>\n

The countries studied represented a range of food systems, including countries where the consumption of animal-based protein is higher, such as Australia, the U.S., Sweden and Argentina, and areas where the consumption of plant-based foods is more prevalent, such as Pakistan and Indonesia.<\/p>\n

In order to compare the impact of different countries’ food supplies on life expectancy, the researchers corrected the data to take into account the differences in wealth and population size between countries. Having done this, they found that countries where the overall availability of plant-based proteins were higher, such as India, had relatively longer life expectancies than countries where animal-based proteins was more readily available, such as the U.S.<\/p>\n

\"Meat<\/p>\n

Effects of proportion animal- vs plant- based protein supplies on probability of mortality (qx), across different age classes, in 2017. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038\/s41467-025-58475-1<\/p>\n

Animal-based proteins and health conditions<\/p>\n

Eating high levels of animal-based protein, particularly processed meat, has long been linked to a range of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease<\/a>, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, plant proteins\u2014including legumes, nuts and whole grains\u2014are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases<\/a> and overall mortality rates, with studies suggesting that plant-based diets have contributed to the longevity in the most long-lived communities on the planet\u2014Okinawa in Japan, Ikaria in Greece and Loma Linda in California.<\/p>\n

Lead investigator Dr. Senior said, “Protein is a crucial part of the human diet, but as eating habits change and developed countries look to decarbonize, where we get our protein from has come under greater scrutiny.<\/p>\n

“The knowledge that plant-based protein is associated with a longer life is really important as we consider not only how our diets impact our own longevity, but the health of the planet.”<\/p>\n

More information:<\/strong>
\n Caitlin J. Andrews et al, Associations between national plant-based vs animal-based protein supplies and age-specific mortality in human populations, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038\/s41467-025-58475-1<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUniversity of Sydney<\/a>
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Citation<\/strong>:
\n Meat or veg? Plant-based protein is linked to a longer life (2025, April 15)
\n retrieved 17 April 2025
\n from https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2025-04-meat-veg-based-protein-linked.html\n <\/p>\n

\n This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
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