Key points from article :
A recent study by scientists from Loma Linda University (LLU) has revealed that a pescatarian diet may be the most effective for reducing the risk of death in older adults, particularly from neurological diseases such as strokes, dementia, and Parkinson's Disease. The research, led by Professor Gary Fraser, analysed data from 88,400 participants, all of whom were Seventh-Day Adventists from the U.S. and Canada. The study, conducted between 2002 and 2015, compared various diets, classifying all non-meat diets—such as pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan—as "vegetarian" and contrasting them with "non-vegetarian" and "semi-vegetarian" diets.
The findings suggest that following a vegetarian diet can help individuals live longer, with pescatarians experiencing an 18% reduced risk of death compared to non-vegetarians. Traditional vegetarians, who exclude meat and fish but include eggs and dairy, had a 15% lower risk of death, while vegans had a less than 3% reduced risk. However, the study also highlighted some important nuances: elderly vegetarians who did not eat fish were found to have a slightly higher risk of developing neurological conditions.
Professor Fraser noted that while the increased risks among older vegetarians were not substantial, they indicate that the protective benefits of a vegetarian diet might decrease without the inclusion of fish, especially in later years. The study suggests that the benefits of fish could be linked to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to support brain health. These findings underscore the importance of dietary choices in aging populations, particularly for reducing the risk of neurological diseases.
