Vegans and vegetarians are less likely to catch COVID-19, with people who follow a largely plant-based diet at a 39 per cent lower risk of being infected, new research claims.
They findings of the Universidade de Sao Paulo study, released today in the BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health journal, suggests that meals high in vegetables, legumes, and nuts, while low in dairy products and meat, may help to ward off the potentially COVID-19 disease.
The researchers aimed to evaluate the potential impact of dietary patterns on the incidence, severity, and duration of COVID-19 infection among 702 adult volunteers recruited between March and July 2022.
Participants were quizzed about their regular eating patterns as well as lifestyle and medical history, including COVID-19 vaccination.
They were then divided into either meat eaters (424) or mainly plant-based (278) dietary groups. The plant-based food group was further split into flexitarians, who ate meat three or fewer times a week (87); and vegetarians plus vegans (191).
Researchers said there were no significant differences in sex, age, or vaccination uptake between the meat-consuming and plant-based groups
But among the plant-based groups a “significantly” higher number of people had been educated to postgraduate degree level. The meat eaters also reported a higher rate of medical conditions and lower levels of physical activity.
More of the meat and dairy consumers were also obese or overweight, factors linked with higher COVID-19 infection risk and more serious complications. In all, 330 participants (47 per cent) said that they’d caught COVID-19. From these, 224 (32 per cent) said they had mild symptoms and 106 (15 per cent) moderate to severe ones.
The meat diet group had a “higher reported incidence of COVID-19 (52 per cent) than the plant-based eaters (40 per cent)”, and they were more likely to have had moderate to severe infection. There was no major between the food groups in the duration or the severity of symptoms.
But those sticking to a largely plant-based vegetarian or vegan diet were 39 per cent less likely to become infected than the meat eaters. More nutrients that boost the immune system may be provided by plant-based foods, the study said.
Study author Julio Cesar Acosta-Navarro, of Sao Paulo University, said the research showed diet was linked to the incidence of catching COVID-19.
“Plant-based dietary patterns are rich in antioxidants, phytosterols and polyphenols, which positively affect several cell types implicated in the immune function and exhibit direct antiviral properties
“In light of these findings and the 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.”
Previous research has highlighted the influence diet may play in the development of COVID-19 infection.
The findings of the study were published in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.
