Vegans, Vegetarians and Meat Eaters: Which Diet Causes the Greatest Risk of Fractures ?

Growing interest in plant-based diets has sparked new questions about how avoiding meat might influence long-term bone health. A large prospective analysis from the EPIC-Oxford cohort offers one of the clearest looks yet, tracking more than 55,000 adults for up to two decades. The findings suggest that vegans experienced notably higher rates of total fractures, hip fractures, and other major fractures compared with meat eaters, while vegetarians and fish eaters also showed elevated hip fracture risk. Lower bone mineral density seen in earlier research may help explain these patterns, although calcium and protein intake did not fully account for the differences when adjusted for in analyses. Potential contributors—such as lower BMI or vitamin deficiencies—remain uncertain. What is clear is the need for deeper research to understand why non-meat eaters face higher fracture risk and how best to mitigate it.