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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Skipping meat could be a kidney-saver. A large UK study found that vegetarians had a 19% lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to high meat eaters. With over 416,000 adults tracked for nearly 13 years, the findings add strong population-level evidence to the case for plant-based eating as a kidney health strategy.
Skipping meat could be a kidney-saver
A major new study out of the UK Biobank — tracking over 416,000 adults for nearly 13 years — found that vegetarians had a significantly lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to heavy meat eaters. Published in Scientific Reports, the research adds robust population-level evidence to a growing body of literature linking plant-based diets to better kidney health.
Researchers from the University of Vienna classified participants into five dietary groups — from high meat eaters to vegetarians/vegans — and monitored them for CKD development. About 6% of the cohort (23,084 people) developed CKD over the follow-up period, with vegetarians faring notably better than their meat-heavy counterparts. Notably, results were consistent across BMI, baseline kidney function, genetic predisposition, and education level.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: CKD affects hundreds of millions globally and has no cure — making prevention critical. These findings suggest that dietary guidance toward plant-based eating could be a practical, accessible tool for reducing CKD risk at the population level, though the authors call for randomized controlled trials to confirm the benefit.
