Vegetarians, fish, poultry and meat-eaters: who has higher risk of CVD incidence and mortality? A prospective study from UK Biobank

Petermann-Rocha, F., Parra-Soto, S., Gray, S. , Anderson, J. , Welsh, P. , Gill, J. , Sattar, N. , Ho, F. K., Celis-Morales, C. and Pell, J. P. (2021) Vegetarians, fish, poultry and meat-eaters: who has higher risk of CVD incidence and mortality? A prospective study from UK Biobank. European Heart Journal, 42(12), pp. 1136-1143. (doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa939) (PMID:33313747)

Abstract

Aims: To compare the incidence and mortality risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) [CVD and also ischaemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and heart failure (HF)] among people with different types of diets—including vegetarians, fish eaters, fish and poultry eaters, and meat-eaters—using data from UK Biobank. Methods and results:  A total of 422 791 participants (55.4% women) were included in this prospective analysis. Using data from a food frequency questionnaire, four types of diets were derived. Associations between types of diets and health outcomes were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Meat-eaters comprised 94.7% of the cohort and were more likely to be obese than other diet groups. After a median follow-up of 8.5 years, fish eaters, compared with meat-eaters, had lower risks of incident CVD {hazard ratios (HR): 0.93 [95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.88–0.97]}, IHD [HR: 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70–0.88)], MI [HR: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56–0.88)], stroke [HR: 0.79 (95% CI: 0.63–0.98)] and HF [HR: 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63–0.97)], after adjusting for confounders. Vegetarians had lower risk of CVD incidence [HR: 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86–0.96)] relative to meat-eaters. In contrast, the risk of adverse outcomes was not different in fish and poultry eaters compared with meat-eaters. No associations were identified between types of diets and CVD mortality. Conclusion: Eating fish rather than meat or poultry was associated with a lower risk of a range of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Vegetarianism was only associated with a lower risk of CVD incidence.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ho, Dr Frederick and Gill, Professor Jason and Anderson, Dr Jana and Parra, Solange and Welsh, Professor Paul and Celis, Dr Carlos and Gray, Professor Stuart and Pell, Professor Jill and Petermann-Rocha, Mrs Fanny and Sattar, Professor Naveed
• Authors: Petermann-Rocha, F., Parra-Soto, S., Gray, S., Anderson, J., Welsh, P., Gill, J., Sattar, N., Ho, F. K., Celis-Morales, C., and Pell, J. P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
• Journal Name: European Heart Journal
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 0195-668X
• ISSN (Online): 1522-9645
• Published Online: 14 December 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Authors
• First Published: First published in European Heart Journal 42(12): 1136-1143
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy