Vegetarian Diet Tied to Lower COVID-19 Incidence

FRIDAY, Jan. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A vegetarian diet is associated with a lower incidence of COVID-19 infection, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.

Júlio César Acosta-Navarro, M.D., Ph.D., from Universidade de Sao Paulo in Brazil, and colleagues examined whether there is an association between a plant-based or vegetarian diet and a lower incidence of COVID-19 infection and severity in those infected compared to an omnivorous diet. The analysis included 702 participants with sociodemographic characteristics, dietary information, and COVID-19 outcomes between March and July of 2022.

The researchers found that when adjusting for important confounders, including body mass index, physical activity, and preexisting medical conditions, the plant-based diet and vegetarian group had lower odds of incidence of COVID-19 infection (odds ratios, 0.61 and 0.61, respectively) compared with the omnivorous group. There was no association seen between self-reported diets and COVID-19 severity or duration.

"These dietary patterns may be considered protective against COVID-19 infection," the authors write. "In light of these findings and findings of other studies and because of the importance of identifying factors that can influence the incidence of COVID-19, we recommend the practice of following plant-based diets or vegetarian dietary patterns."

Abstract/Full Text