There is much debate about whether meat eaters live longer or not. Some studies suggest that they do, while others say that vegetarians live longer.
According to a study of 96,000 Americans and Canadians by Loma Linda University in California, vegetarians live nine and a half years longer than meat eaters.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, studies found that vegetarian women live 4.4 years longer and vegetarian men live up to 7.3 years longer than the meat-eating California population.
According to this study, male vegetarians live an average of 83.3 years and vegetarian women live an average of 87 years – 9.5 and 6.1 years longer, respectively, than the rest of the California population.
What is the theory for vegetarians' older age?
Meat eaters tend to consume more calories than vegetarians, which means they gain more weight. This is because meat contains more protein than vegetables.
Protein helps build muscle mass, which in turn burns fat. On the other hand, some research suggests that vegetarians are less likely to develop heart disease and cancer.
A study that was published in The Lancet found that vegetarians have a much lower chance of dying from heart disease than people who eat meat.
