A NHS cardiologist has blamed the lack of nutrients and protein in his mum’s vegetarian diet for her ‘premature and painful death’.

Dr Aseem Malhotra believes losing his mum Anisha at the age of 68 was ‘entirely avoidable’ and says ‘regular consumption’ of starchy carbohydrates, sugary and ultra-processed snacks as well as lack of animal products killed her.

He wrote in i.: ‘Sadly, her devout religious faith to avoid consuming animal products, combined with a high starch, high sugar diet, was ultimately to the detriment of her health.

Dr Aseem Malhotra blamed his mum’s vegetarian diet on her early death

‘I very much hope that her premature and painful death was not in vain and we can learn that much of these ills are preventable.’


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The leading obesity campaigner said his mum had been overweight for most of her adult life and added that her weight contributed to high blood pressure in her 40s, which resulted in a brain haemorrhage.



Anisha, a former Manchester-based GP, made a full recovery, but suffered other obesity-related problems, such as osteoarthritis, which led to slipped discs and severe degeneration of her spine.

Her diet required her to take Vitamin B12 and iron supplements, but Dr Aseem said protein deficiency led to a decline in muscle mass.

He quoted an Austrian study which found that despite having a lower BMI and less alcohol consumption, ‘a vegetarian diet is associated with poorer health (higher incidences of cancer, allergies and mental health disorders) a higher need for health care and a poorer quality of life’.

He says he believes his mum’s death at the age of 68 was ‘avoidable’

He added that evidence ‘does not find an association with the consumption of unprocessed red meat and reduced life expectancy’.

Dr Aseem said there has been ‘no evidence’ that ‘adopting a meat or animal product free diet is best for human and planetary health’.

The NHS advises on its website that ‘you need to eat a variety of different sources of protein to get the right mixture of amino acids, which are used to build and repaid the body’s cells.

‘Contrary to popular beliefs, most vegetarians usually have enough protein and calcium in their diets. But if you don’t plan your diet properly, you could miss out on essential nutrients.’

Dr Aseem believes many vegetarians don’t plan their diets properly.

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