The Study
ASSOCIATIONS OF PROTEIN INTAKE WITH THE RISK OF ALL-CAUSE, CARDIOVASCULAR, AND CANCER MORTALITY: A META-ANALYSIS
This study looked at lots of other studies that followed people for years and saw what they ate. It found that people who ate more plant protein (like beans and nuts) tended to live longer, but it doesn't prove that eating more plants made them live longer — maybe they also exercised more or didn't smoke.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at 28 big studies to see if eating more protein from plants vs. animals affects how long people live.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 539 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — swapping even a little animal protein for plant protein could meaningfully lower heart disease death risk, but won’t stop cancer deaths.
- 2People who ate more plant protein had 8% lower risk of dying from any cause and 13% lower risk of dying from heart disease.
- 3Eating more animal protein or total protein didn’t change death risk.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Innovation in Aging
Year
2024
Authors
Huili Yang, Meng Cao, Chongmei Huang, Yaping Jin, Minhui Liu
Related Content
Claims (6)
Eating more or less total dietary protein does not change the risk of dying from any cause or from heart disease.
Adults who consume more plant protein than animal protein have an 8% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 13% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Eating more animal protein does not increase the risk of dying from any cause, heart disease, or cancer in adults.
Eating plant-based proteins does not lower the chance of dying from cancer in adults.
In adult populations, the total amount of protein consumed does not relate to the risk of dying from any cause, heart disease, or cancer.
Higher intake of plant protein is linked to a greater reduction in deaths from heart disease compared to deaths from all other causes combined.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.