Simon Wein
Petach Tikvah, Israel

“I did not become a vegetarian for my own health. I did it for the health of the chickens.”
—IB Singer, Nobel Laureate in Literature

There is an association between being a vegetarian and voting on the left side of politics. Various surveys¹ have confirmed that vegetarians are up to five times more likely to be in the liberal camp of politics. Curious. One of the reasons given is that liberals do not think humans are superior to animals and therefore killing animals for food is not justifiable. It also appears liberals are concerned that climate change is exacerbated by bovine flatulence.

Famous vegetarians include Pythagoras, Tolstoy, and da Vinci.

This essay will review the question: does eating meat detract from health and longevity? Or, conversely, do vegetarians live longer?

Medical observations

Some studies suggest vegetarians (compared with meat-eaters) live up to ten years longer due to lower rates of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. These studies are observational, meaning they only show associations, not causality.² The observed survival benefits may be due to a coincident healthy lifestyle (non-smoking, more exercise, less alcohol). On the other hand, a vegan diet may be strictly beer and chips, which, though traditional, is probably unhealthy. Studies that compare healthy vegetarians to healthy meat-eaters show that the longevity gap noted above narrows or vanishes.

Older adults (over sixty-five) need a higher protein intake to maintain muscle mass and prevent weight loss. Another study reports an “obesity paradox” in aging, wherein a higher body weight may be associated with better survival in later life.³ A diet that includes meat is the most efficient way to eat protein. Vegetables alone do not cut it.

Vegetarians and vegans appear less likely to become centenarians when compared with those who eat meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.

The reasons

Biblically, in the Garden of Eden, everyone was vegetarian. Animals did not eat animals. A true utopia. After the Flood, when violence was recognized as an irrevocable part of Mankind’s character, meat-eating was permitted. One supposes it is preferable that a person who is inclined to violence should become a butcher rather than roam the streets, frustrated with only muesli to eat.

Why do people choose not to eat meat? One classification includes ethical, aesthetic, and health reasons.

The Nuremberg Trials (1945–1947), specifically the Doctors’ Trial, led to the 1947 Nuremberg Code, which established that, because humans are sentient beings, voluntary, informed consent was an essential requirement for ethical human experimentation. This medical ethic was established in response to German doctors performing medical experiments on Jewish prisoners without their consent.

Animals have sentience, maybe not human-like, but they are aware and clearly express a wish to live and to be free of pain. Do sentient animals deserve a sentient choice not to be killed? Probably. But a hoof-print will not satisfy our current legal system.

The moral arguments against eating meat are relative. There is no universally accepted moral code that says or indeed proves it is wrong to eat meat. Activists may have valuable ethical points, but they are non-binding.

I think aesthetics in its broadest sense is the most equitable rationale to avoid meat, without invoking underwhelming ethical arguments. Watching a cow being killed to make a burger is for many people repulsive. This aesthetic revulsion may lead to a decision not to eat meat. This ethical decision is the individual’s choice alone. And therein lies the rub. The ethic cannot be generalized because it was based on a personal aesthetic. Similarly, some people for aesthetic reasons do not eat octopus or aubergines.

On 1 May 2026, Amsterdam became the world’s first capital city to ban public advertisements (billboards) for beef burgers, petrol cars, and airlines.⁴ Meat is claimed to contribute up to 15% of greenhouse emissions. However, it is well documented that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide boosts the growth of plants and hence carbon capture. This is called the “Carbon Fertilization Effect.”⁵

It is instructive to compare diet and longevity per country. In Hong Kong, the average person eats 123 kilograms of meat per year. This is the fourth highest in the world. Swedes consume 68 kilograms of meat per capita per year.⁶ People from Hong Kong enjoy the third highest longevity in the world at 85.9 years, beating out Swedes at 83.7.⁷ Worldwide, a diet that includes plenty of unprocessed meat does not shorten lifespan and may prolong life.⁸

Conclusion

There is no conclusive cause-and-effect evidence that vegetarians live longer because of their diet. In fact, for older people, a diet with fish and meat benefits longevity.

No universal moral code litigates against eating meat. The extent to which animals have sentience and how that might impact our dietary choices is inconclusive.

Ultimately, it can only ever be a personal choice to not eat meat, a choice that may serve as a salubrious example, but with no moral vector.

References

1. Johnson C, Schreer G. Identity and diet: Politics, religion, social class and vegetarian diet. Appetite; Volume 222, 1 July 2026,
2. Andrews CJ, Senior AM, et al. Associations between national plant-based vs animal-based protein supplies and age-specific mortality human populations, Nature Communications, 2025.
3. Dramé M, Godaert L. The Obesity Paradox and Mortality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review; Nutrients, 6;15(7):1780, Apr 2023
4. Ann Hughes RA, Gilliver L. Amsterdam becomes world’s first capital city to ban public adverts for fossil fuels and meat. Euronews, 4 May 2026. [ER1] https://www.euronews.com/2026/02/06/amsterdam-to-enact-landmark-ban-on-fossil-fuel-and-meat-advertising-in-public-spaces
5. CO₂ fertilization effect. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CO2_fertilization_effect
6. World Population Review. Meat Consumption by Country 2026. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/meat-consumption-by-country
7. Worldometer. Life Expectancy of the World Population. https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/
8. You W, Henneberg R, Saniotis A, Ge Y, Henneberg M. Total Meat Intake is Associated with Life Expectancy: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis of 175 Contemporary Populations. International Journal of General Medicine, 2022:15; 1833–1851.