# Chinese study: women over 80 who ate meat were 44% more likely to reach 100 than vegetarians

- Published: 2026-11-14 05:31 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Agritech & food
- Tags: women over 80, reaching 100 years, meat and longevity, vegetarian diet, protein in old age, underweight in older people, vitamin B12
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-70346c9f7772c8b50da4c0b6_chinese_study_women/

**Chinese researchers report that underweight vegetarians reached 100 less often than meat eaters; the authors point to calories and protein in the diets of older people.**

![Chinese study: women over 80 who ate meat were 44% more likely to reach 100 than vegetarians](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/5f1d351d967c82c4.jpg)
*cursorinfo.co.il*

Chinese researchers who studied the diets of long-lived people over 80 report that women who eat meat are 44% more likely to reach 100 than vegetarian women, cursorinfo.co.il writes. [1] The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and the authors analyzed data from more than 5 thousand participants over 80. [1] According to their conclusion, the key factor is not giving up meat as such, but getting enough calories and protein in the diet of older people. [1]

## Weight, protein and vegetarian diets

Underweight vegetarians reached 100 less often than meat eaters, the authors found. [1] Vegetarians who ate fish, dairy products or eggs had the same chance of reaching 100 as meat eaters. [1]

The authors' explanation concerns muscle mass: after 60–70 the body begins to lose it rapidly. For this reason older people need more protein per kilogram of body weight than younger people, which lowers the risk of falls and fractures. [1]

With age, absorption of vitamin B12, iron, zinc and vitamin D worsens, the authors note. As a result, older vegetarians more often suffer from anemia and B12 deficiency, which impairs brain function and lowers the body's overall tone. [1]

## Overweight and regions of long-lived people

The authors point to an unexpected finding: while being leaner is better for young people, a slight excess of weight is considered a protective factor for people over 75–80. [1] Underweight, by contrast, raises the risk of death from infections, pneumonia and bone fragility. [1]

The largest numbers of long-lived people live on Okinawa in Japan, on Sardinia in Italy and on Ikaria in Greece, where residents do not follow a strictly vegetarian diet. [1] They eat meat rarely, one to four times a month or on holidays, and every day they eat fish, legumes, greens, nuts and fermented foods. [1]

## Sources

1. [cursorinfo.co.il](https://cursorinfo.co.il/interest/sekret-dolgoletiya-uchenye-nazvali-neozhidannyj-faktor-dlya-zhenshhin-80)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-70346c9f7772c8b50da4c0b6_chinese_study_women/