A new study suggests that following a pesco-vegetarian diet—a vegetarian diet that includes fish—might be the best option for reducing the risk of death in very elderly people.
This finding comes from research conducted by Loma Linda University Health, which explored the benefits of various vegetarian diets on overall mortality and specific causes of death.
The study, titled “Cause-specific and all-cause mortalities in vegetarian compared to non-vegetarian participants from the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort,” was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
It analyzed data from the Adventist Health Study-2, a large research project involving nearly 96,000 Seventh-day Adventists living in the United States and Canada.
This study is particularly valuable because it tracks the health, diet, and mortality of its participants over several years.
The researchers found that vegetarian diets are generally associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, as well as from specific diseases, especially among men and middle-aged people.
However, the study also revealed that very elderly vegetarians—those in their 80s—might have a slightly higher risk of neurological conditions such as stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease compared to non-vegetarians.
Despite this increased risk in older vegetarians, the pesco-vegetarian diet still offered some protection.
The study showed that elderly people following a pesco-vegetarian diet had a slightly lower risk of death compared to those on other vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets.
This suggests that including fish in a vegetarian diet might provide additional benefits as people age.
Dr. Gary Fraser, the study’s principal investigator and a distinguished professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health, noted that while vegetarian diets seem to protect against early death, this advantage appears to diminish in very old age, especially for those strictly avoiding all animal products.
“The increased risks of neurological conditions among vegetarians in their 80s weren’t huge, but it’s something we need to pay attention to if we want the benefits of a vegetarian diet to last throughout life,” Fraser said.
The study examined dietary habits and mortality data from over 88,000 participants, with about 12,500 deaths recorded during the study period. The participants’ diets were categorized into five groups: non-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian (which includes dairy and eggs), and vegan.
The results showed that overall, Adventist vegetarians had about a 12% lower risk of death compared to non-vegetarians.
Those following a pesco-vegetarian diet had an 18% lower risk of death, while lacto-ovo-vegetarians had a 15% lower risk. Vegans, particularly male vegans, also showed some benefit, with a less than 3% decreased risk of death overall.
“This is some of the clearest evidence that American vegetarians are better protected from early death than non-vegetarians,” Fraser concluded.
This research highlights the potential benefits of including fish in a vegetarian diet, particularly for the elderly, and adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the health advantages of plant-based diets.
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