Plant Protein Linked to Lower Risk of Death in Major BMJ Meta-Analysis

People who eat the most plant protein have an 8% lower risk of death from any cause and a 12% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a major meta-analysis. Each extra 3% of daily calories from plant protein was linked to a 5% lower risk of death.

Researchers at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, led by Sina Naghshi with Harvard's Professor Walter Willett as a co-author, pooled 32 prospective studies covering 715,128 people and 113,039 deaths, with follow-up of 3.5 to 32 years. The results are published in The BMJ.

Animal protein was not significantly linked to deaths from cardiovascular disease or cancer, and plant protein was not linked to cancer deaths. Most of the studies came from Western countries, the authors note.

As Healio reports, the authors wrote:

These findings have important public health implications as intake of plant protein can be increased relatively easily by replacing animal protein and could have a large effect on longevity.

Relatively easily is right: a bowl of chilli with beans or a handful of nuts does the job.

It comes just a week after a US study of 416,000 people linked swapping red meat protein for plant protein to a 13% lower risk of death, and follows last year's Japanese study with a similar finding.

The evidence for plant protein is piling up.