New Study Says Vegetarians are Less Healthy Than Meat-Eaters

If you’re a meat eater, we’ve got good news. If you’re a vegetarian, though, we hate to break it to you, but a new study is causing some controversy after claiming that vegetarians are generally less healthy than meat eaters. The scientists behind the study claim that non-meat eaters suffer a greater risk of physical and mental illness. But is this reason enough to chow down on a juicy burger or cut into a tender Texas steak? Before you head to The Big Texan in Amarillo and order that 72-oz challenge, check out the details behind the claim.

The Medical University of Graz in Austria conducted the study using data from the Austrian Health Interview Survey and featured 1,320 subjects. According to the independent.co.uk, the study showed that the “vegetarian diet, as characterized by a low consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, due to a higher intake of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products, appeared to carry elevated risks of cancer, allergies and mental health problems…” The mental illnesses included depression and anxiety. Vegetarians boasted lower body mass indexes and drank less alcohol, the study revealed, yet they were still less healthy, physically and mentally, on average than meat eaters.

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The study reported, “Our study has shown that Austrian adults who consume a vegetarian diet are less healthy (in terms of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders), have a lower quality of life, and also require more medical treatment.” It should be noted that the study doesn’t attempt to prove the cause and effect but only notes the correlation. It does, however, call into question the popular claims of the health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

The Austrian study comes in contrast to an earlier study published in the British Journal of Cancer. Ten years ago, that study made headlines for reporting that vegetarians have less risk for developing cancer than carnivores. It reported that the vegetarian diet appeared to offer reduced risk of blood cancer and cancer overall.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether you believe a vegetarian lifestyle could be beneficial or not. Before making any drastic dietary changes, it’s best to look over all the available evidence for yourself and draw your own conclusions.