Vegetarians Found to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

Recent findings suggest that consuming a vegetarian diet may lengthen your lifespan by nine years and bring a host of other health benefits, including reduction in obesity rates, reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease.

The study follows 96,000 individuals and is currently at its midway point. The cohort includes Seventh-day Adventists, who follow a vegetarian diet for religious reasons. At this point of the study, the researchers have found that vegans weigh on average 30 pounds less than meat eaters, women live an average of 6.1 years longer and men live an average of 9.5 years longer.

Other health benefits of a vegetarian diet include:

1. A BMI that is five units lighter than meat eaters

2. Less insulin resistance;

3. Tendency toward other healthy habits, like exercising and not smoking;

These preliminary findings were presented at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' 2012 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo the week of October 7, 2012. The study is being conducted by researchers at the Loma Linda University.

Previous research has linked vegetarian diets with combating cancer and better overall health. If you’re interested in converting to a vegetarian diet, consult a nutritionist to make sure you’re getting all of the proper nutrients. Many vegetarians choose to supplement their diets with high quality supplements.