Vegetarians healthier than meat eaters, study suggests

Blood and urine tests on over 170,000 UK adults provide further evidence of the benefits of vegetarianism, writes Peter Stubley

Vegetable-munchers have lower levels of biomarkers linked to diabetes, cancer and heart disease, researchers found (Getty)

Vegetarians appear to be healthier than meat-eaters even after accounting for age, obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption, according to a new study.

Researchers found that those who renounced red meat, poultry and fish had fewer "biomarkers" linked to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and kidney function problems.

However vegetarians also had lower levels of "good" biomarkers such as vitamin D and calcium, which are linked to bone and joint health.