OBJECTIVE: To review the epidemiological evidence for vegetarian diets, low-meat 
dietary patterns and their association with health status in adults.
DESIGN: Published literature review focusing primarily on prospective studies 
and meta-analyses examining the association between vegetarian diets and health 
outcomes.
RESULTS: Both vegetarian diets and prudent diets allowing small amounts of red 
meat are associated with reduced risk of diseases, particularly CHD and type 2 
diabetes. There is limited evidence of an association between vegetarian diets 
and cancer prevention. Evidence linking red meat intake, particularly processed 
meat, and increased risk of CHD, cancer and type 2 diabetes is convincing and 
provides indirect support for consumption of a plant-based diet.
CONCLUSIONS: The health benefits of vegetarian diets are not unique. Prudent 
plant-based dietary patterns which also allow small intakes of red meat, fish 
and dairy products have demonstrated significant improvements in health status 
as well. At this time an optimal dietary intake for health status is unknown. 
Plant-based diets contain a host of food and nutrients known to have independent 
health benefits. While vegetarian diets have not shown any adverse effects on 
health, restrictive and monotonous vegetarian diets may result in nutrient 
deficiencies with deleterious effects on health. For this reason, appropriate 
advice is important to ensure a vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate 
especially for vulnerable groups.