Health and Nutrition in Elderly Vegetarians and Non-Vegetarians
Author Information
Author(s): Deriemaeker Peter, Aerenhouts Dirk, De Ridder Dolf, Hebbelinck Marcel, Clarys Peter
Primary Institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Hypothesis
How do the nutritional and physical characteristics of institutionalized vegetarian and non-vegetarian elderly compare?
Conclusion
The study found that vegetarian and non-vegetarian elderly have similar dietary intake, blood values, and physical characteristics.
Supporting Evidence
- Vegetarian and non-vegetarian elderly had similar blood values.
- Both groups had high protein and saturated fat intake.
- Mean daily energy intake was below recommended levels for vegetarian females.
- Zinc blood serum was below reference values in both groups.
- Mean BMI was comparable between vegetarian and non-vegetarian elderly.
Takeaway
Elderly people who eat vegetarian diets are just as healthy as those who eat meat, but both groups need to watch what they eat.
Methodology
The study compared dietary intake, blood profiles, anthropometrics, and handgrip strength between matched samples of vegetarian and non-vegetarian elderly.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to non-randomized sampling and regional differences.
Limitations
The study compared participants from different regions and used non-randomized sampling.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 22 female and 7 male vegetarians, and 23 female and 7 male non-vegetarians, all over 65 years old.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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