According to recent research from Loma Linda University (LLU), adopting a pescatarian diet may provide significant protection against neurological diseases, including strokes, dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease, especially in older adults.
The study categorized all non-meat diets—including pescatarian and vegan—as ‘vegetarian’ and compared them to ‘non-vegetarian’ or ‘semi-vegetarian’ diets. Findings suggest that ‘vegetarian’ diets contribute to longevity, with pescatarians enjoying the greatest advantages, particularly those in their mid to late 80s.
Professor Gary Frazer, the lead investigator, stated, “This is some of the clearest data showing that American vegetarians are more protected against premature death compared to non-vegetarians.”
An analysis involving 88,400 Seventh-Day Adventists from the U.S. and Canada revealed that vegetarians had a 12% lower risk of death during the study period from 2002 to 2015. Specifically, pescatarians had an 18% reduced risk, traditional vegetarians (who consume eggs and dairy but no meat or fish) saw a 15% decrease, while vegans had less than a 3% lower risk of mortality during the same period.
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Interestingly, the research indicated gender differences: male vegans performed better than their male meat-eating counterparts, while female vegans had a higher risk compared to females who consumed meat.
While middle-aged participants appeared to benefit from vegetarian diets, seniors (specifically those not consuming fish) faced a greater risk of developing neurological conditions. “These increased risks among vegetarians in their 80s aren’t huge, but they warrant attention if we wish to maintain the vegetarian benefits into later years,” noted Frazer.
The benefits of fish seem linked to high levels of omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA, which are known for their brain health advantages.
Reference
Abris, G. P., Shavlik, D. J., Mathew, R. O., Butler, F. M., Oh, J., Sirirat, R., Sveen, L. E., Fraser, G. E. (2024). Cause-specific and all-cause mortalities in vegetarians compared with those in nonvegetarian participants from the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (n/a). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.07.028