Mixed
Vegetarian and vegan diets are associated with a significantly higher risk of haemorrhagic and total stroke compared to meat-eating diets, an association that is not explained by standard cardiovascular risk factors.
While vegetarian diets lower heart disease risk, they are associated with a higher risk of stroke, particularly haemorrhagic stroke. This risk is not explained by standard factors like blood pressure or cholesterol. Vegetarians should ensure a balanced diet, potentially paying attention to nutrients like Vitamin K and B12, and consult healthcare providers for personalized advice.
Conversely, vegetarians, but not fish eaters, had significantly higher rates of haemorrhagic stroke than meat eaters (1.43, 1.08 to 1.90)... and higher rates of total stroke (1.20, 1.02 to 1.40)... The associations for stroke did not attenuate after further adjustment of disease risk factors.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort, long follow-up, but observational design and unclear mechanism limit causal certainty.
Source
Risks of ischaemic heart disease and stroke in meat eaters, fish eaters, and vegetarians over 18 years of follow-up: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study
Tammy Y. N. Tong et al. · BMJ · 2019
DOI 10.1136/bmj.l4897
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