Longevity diets often focus on going plant-based, but a study in China has linked eating meat to a long lifespan, particularly among older people who are underweight
Longevity pioneers like Bryan Johnson are going to extreme lengths in the quest for immortality, but for those of us who hope to reach 100 with less commitment, dietary tweaks are typically the first port of call. Going plant-based is often recommended, but now a study in China has revealed that most centenarians there eat meat, which may be particularly helpful for those who are underweight.
Meat is a rich source of certain amino acids that seem to affect a signalling molecule called mTOR, which contributes to the ageing process. Multiple studies suggest that cutting back on meat, or eliminating it, can promote longevity, as well as reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease. On the other hand, plant-based diets have been linked to an increased incidence of fractures and malnutrition.
Such issues could be especially problematic for older people, who tend to have weaker bones and recover poorly after surgery, says Kaiyue Wang at Fudan University in Shanghai. To better understand the link between diet and longevity, Wang and her colleagues gathered data from a centralised Chinese health database on people older than 65.
Pulling from the profiles, the researchers investigated the database’s 5203 participants, who were at least 80 years old in 1998 and were free of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Of these, about 80 per cent said they were meat-eaters, while the others said they ate plant-based diets of mostly vegetables and grains, but also sometimes non-meat animal products.
The researchers observed that the meat eaters were more likely to reach 100 than their vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan counterparts. However, this was only statistically significant when they took body weight into account.
Of the vegetarians who had a body mass index below 18.5 (defined as being underweight) in 1998, 24 per cent reached 100, compared with nearly 30 per cent of the underweight meat eaters, with the odds seeming to rise further if they reported eating meat every day. The same trend wasn’t found for people of a heavier weight.
Full article here: Meat may play an unexpected role in helping people reach 100 (New Scientist)
Paywalled Paper: Vegetarian diet and likelihood of becoming centenarians in Chinese adults aged 80 y or older: a nested case-control study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition