Are Vegetarians Healthier?

Scientists at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich are investigating women's diets to see how vegetarians differ from meat-eaters in the way their body uses iron.

Iron deficiency leads to anaemia, which is the most common nutritional deficiency in the western world. The symptoms are tiredness and difficulty in concentrating. Iron is required for the formation of healthy blood, to carry oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues of the body. Women of childbearing age are at particular risk of anaemia because of their monthly blood losses.

The researchers are studying 90 women aged 18-45 with three types of diet: vegetarians, red meat eaters, and poultry eaters. The study, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has been running for 18 months, and they are looking for 15 more strict vegetarians who never eat fish or meat, but who do eat eggs, quorn and milk.

This is an important study because there have been many changes in the UK diet in recent years. Vegetarianism is on the increase, and people are eating more poultry and fish in preference to red meat. It is easier for the body to make use of the iron in meat than from other types of food and this may affect how much iron is actually absorbed by the body. Zinc and copper are also needed by the body to stay healthy and the amounts absorbed may also be affected by the type of food eaten.

Project leader Dr Linda Harvey said "The women of Norfolk have been wonderful - we have had a massive amount of public interest in helping with this study. We only need a few more vegetarian women to help us. The study will give us valuable information on how the body uses iron from different types of diet."

-ENDS-