Vegetarian success may be planted in our genes

The reason some people find it easy to stick to a strict vegetarian diet while others struggle may be governed by our genes, a study has found.

Three key genes appear to play a role in whether people find it easy or hard to ‘survive and thrive’ on a strictly meat-free diet.

The reason some people find it easy to stick to a strict vegetarian diet while others struggle may be governed by our genes, a study has found.

Three key genes appear to play a role in whether people find it easy or hard to “survive and thrive” on a strictly meat-free diet. Two of them are linked to how our bodies process fatty ­nutrients.

Scientists have speculated that some people might have a genetic predisposition to “need and crave” the fats found in meat.

It is estimated that about three million people in the UK are vegetarian. The Vegetarian Society notes that some estimates are much higher if they include people who are vegetarian most or some of the time.

A study published in the journal PLOS One estimates that “approximately 48 to 64 per cent of self-identified vegetarians report consuming fish, poultry and/or red meat”.

Researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago, Fios Genomics in Edinburgh and Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, wanted to see if there were genes that may make it easier to follow a strict meat-free diet.

They used data from the UK Biobank, which holds genomic, health and lifestyle information on 500,000 volunteers.

Their study asked whether “all humans are capable of surviving and thriving on a long-term strict vegetarian diet”.

Nabeel Yaseen, a professor of pathology at Northwestern and one of the study’s authors, said: “It seems there are more people who would like to be vegetarian than actually are, and we think it’s because there is something hardwired.”

Researchers compared genetic data from 5324 strict vegetarians with 329,455 people who ate at least some meat. All were from white ethnic backgrounds to avoid results being skewed by genetic differences between ­ethnic groups.

The research found strong evidence that there are three genes linked in some way to strict vegetarianism, two of which – NPC1 and RMC1 – are involved in metabolising lipids, or fatty compounds, and using them to boost brain function.

“One area in which plant products differ from meat is complex lipids,” Dr Yaseen said. “There may be lipid components present in meat that some people need. And maybe people whose genetics favour vegetarianism are able to synthesise these components [internally, without needing to consume them].”

Richard McIlwain, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, cautioned against the idea of a “vegetarian gene”, noting that people within the same family often had different dietary preferences. Factors including tradition and concerns “about climate, animal welfare or their health” played key roles, he said.

The Times