Research has shown that eating meat is necessary to maintain health while aging. While plant-based diets are known to help prevent diseases, it appears that healthy older adults enjoy meat more than expected, as they may need the nutrients from meat for fragile bones, muscles, and brains as they age. It seems that timing is key in what you eat.
Researchers at Fudan University in China noted that as a result of a six-year follow-up study involving 2,888 elderly individuals in China, it was found that meat consumption is advantageous for healthy aging compared to plant-based diets. This research was published on the 1st in the international journal 'npj Aging' by the Nature Publishing Group.
The question of which diet, plant-based or meat-based, is more beneficial for health has been a long-standing topic of discussion among scientists and physicians. There are many conflicting research results. While there are studies in the U.S. indicating that a vegetarian diet lowers overall mortality rates and risks of cardiovascular disease, opposing research from the U.K. and Australia has found otherwise.
Moreover, most studies on the correlation between plant-based diets, meat consumption, and health have been conducted on middle-aged individuals in Western countries, making it difficult to apply the findings directly to elderly individuals in Asia. This study has been evaluated as significant because it specifically investigates the elderly in the Asian region.
The average age of the elderly analyzed by Fudan University was 72.1 years old, with 55% being male. The researchers classified their diets into strict vegetarian (vegan), ovo-vegetarian, pescatarian, and meat-based diets. Ovo-vegetarian refers to a diet that includes dairy products and eggs, while pescatarian includes all foods except meat, including dairy, eggs, seafood, and fish.
Among the study subjects, 572 elderly individuals achieved healthy aging. The criteria for healthy aging include surviving to age 80 without major chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, or hypertension while maintaining physical, cognitive, and mental health.
The researchers analyzed the diets of elderly individuals who achieved healthy aging and compared them with others. The results showed a marked difference. Those who maintained a meat-based diet were 1.78 times more likely to achieve healthy aging than those who followed a plant-based diet. Those who switched from a plant-based to a meat-based diet during the observation period were 1.54 times more likely to achieve healthy aging compared to those who consistently maintained a plant-based diet.
The probability of achieving healthy aging among vegetarians was only 0.65 times that of meat-eaters, and those following a strict vegetarian diet rather than ovo-vegetarian or pescatarian had an even lower probability of 0.43.
Similar findings were observed in a study involving 1,582 individuals who survived to age 80, where the likelihood of developing major chronic diseases, physical dysfunction, and cognitive impairment was assessed. Vegetarians had a 1.6 times higher likelihood of developing major chronic diseases, 1.95 times higher likelihood of physical dysfunction, and a 2.05 times higher likelihood of cognitive impairment compared to those who opted for meat-based diets.
The researchers concluded that the benefits of a plant-based diet do not manifest in old age. Rather, they pointed out that the nutrients needed for the fragile bones, muscles, and brains of older adults are insufficient in a plant-based diet. Xiang Gao, a professor at the Fudan University Institute of Nutrition, said, "One reason why a plant-based diet is unsuitable for healthy aging is that it may lack essential nutrients important for maintaining muscle mass, bone health, and cognitive function."
He stated, "It has been confirmed that nearly half of the elderly who maintained a strict vegetarian diet did not meet the recommended protein intake. Furthermore, plant-based proteins generally have lower quality compared to animal proteins, which could worsen the decline in muscle and bone health as one ages."
Sticking solely to a vegetarian diet has also been shown to negatively impact cognitive function. Professor Gao indicated, "This study confirmed that a plant-based diet could increase the risk of cognitive impairment at age 80. A plant-based diet can lead to deficiencies in nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and DHA, which may result in cognitive decline."
References
npj Aging(2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-025-00213-4