New Study Shows Genetic Link to Vegetarianism
A new study published in PLOS One suggests that genetics may play a significant role in determining whether someone can successfully adhere to a vegetarian lifestyle. The study, conducted by researchers from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, identified four genes associated with the ability to maintain a vegetarian diet.
Lead study author Dr. Nabeel Yaseen explained, “At this time we can say is that genetics plays a significant role in vegetarianism and that some people may be genetically better suited for a vegetarian diet than others.” This finding could help explain why many self-described vegetarians still consume meat products.
The study analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which follows people long term. They compared over 5,000 strict vegetarians who hadn’t eaten any animal flesh in the last year with a control group of over 300,000 people who did eat meat. They found that vegetarians were more likely to have certain variations of the identified genes.
The genes that were strongly identified and potentially associated with vegetarianism are related to how people process lipids, or fats. Since plants and meat have different types of lipids, it is possible that some individuals genetically require certain lipids found in meat.
While this study provides important insights into the genetics of dietary preferences, it does have limitations. The analysis only included individuals who were White in order to avoid cultural practices confounding the results. Therefore, the findings may not be applicable to the entire population.
Dr. José Ordovás, director of nutrition and genomics at Tufts University, commented on the study, stating, “The association of genetic variants with long-term strict vegetarianism suggests a biological basis for this dietary choice, beyond just cultural, ethical, or environmental reasons.” He also noted that this research could lead to more personalized dietary recommendations based on genetic predispositions in the future.
Further research is needed to fully understand the genetic factors influencing vegetarianism and how they may impact health. Nonetheless, this study opens the door to a better understanding of the complex relationship between genetics and dietary choices.