全素比丘尼的骨質密度如同非素食者
Vegan Buddhist nuns have same bone density as non-vegetarians
April 16th, 2009
A study comparing the bone health of 105 post-menopausal vegan Buddhist nuns and 105 non-vegetarian women, matched in every other physical respect, has produced a surprising result. Their bone density was identical.
一項研究，比較了 105 位更年期後吃全素的（vegans）佛教比丘尼以及 105 位非素食主義女性，在身體各方面均相符，產生了一項令人訝異的結果。她們的骨質密度完全一樣。
The study was led by Professor Tuan Nguyen from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research. He collaborated with Dr Ho-Pham Thuc Lan from the Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Their findings are now published online in Osteoporosis International.
這項研究由來自於雪梨 Garvan 醫學研究所的 Tuan Nguyen 教授所領導。他與來自於越南胡志明市 Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University 的Ho-Pham Thuc Lan 博士合作。他們的發現現在發表在 Osteoporosis International 線上版。
"For the 5% of people in Western countries who choose to be vegetarians, this is very good news," said Professor Nguyen. "Even vegans, who eat only plant-based foods, appear to have bones as healthy as everyone else."
"在西方國家中有 5% 的人選擇吃素，這是很好的消息，" Nguyen 教授表示。"即使是全素者，他們只吃基於植物的食物，其骨骼顯然與其他每一個人一樣健康。"
"Bone health in vegetarians, particularly vegans, has been a concern for some time, because as a group they tend to have a lower protein and calcium intake than the population at large."
"素食主義者，尤其是全素者，的骨骼健康，有好一段時間成了某種憂慮，因為身為一種族群，他們所攝取的蛋白質與鈣低於大多數人。"
"In this work we showed that although the vegans studied do indeed have lower protein and calcium intakes, their bone density is virtually identical to that of people who eat a wide variety of foods, including animal protein."
"在這項研究中我們證明，雖然所研究的全素者確實有較低的蛋白質與鈣攝取，不過她們的骨質密度實際上與那些吃各類食物（包括動物性蛋白質）的人完全一樣。"
"The nuns' calcium intake was very low, only about 370 mg a day, where the recommended level is 1,000 mg. Their protein intake was also very low at around 35 g a day, compared with the non-vegetarian group, which was 65 g."
"這些比丘尼的鈣攝取很低，每日只有 370 mg，在此建議值是每日 1,000 mg。她們的蛋白質攝取也是相當低，每天只有 35 g，相較於非素食主義者，那是 65 g。"
Professor Nguyen and Dr Thuc Lan chose to study Buddhist nuns because their faith requires them to observe strict vegan diets all their lives.
Nguyen 教授與 Thuc Lan chose 博士之所以選擇研究比丘尼，是因為她們的信仰要求她們終身奉行嚴格的全素飲食。
"We didn't study vegetarians from the West because many are lacto-vegetarians, so could have considerable calcium in their diets. It would have compromised the results," Nguyen explained.
"我們並沒有研究來自西方的素食主義者，是因為有許多人是奶素（lacto-vegetarians），故他們的飲食中可能有相當多的鈣。這可能危及這些結果，" Nguyen 解釋。
"The Buddhist nuns came from 20 temples and monasteries in Ho Chi Minh City. The control group, 105 non-vegetarian women of exactly the same age, were recruited from the same localities."
"這些佛教比丘尼來自於 20 間位於胡志明市的寺院與僧院。對照組，105 位非素食主義女性，年齡完全一樣，也從同樣地點招募。"
Although Professor Nguyen and Dr Thuc Lan do not advocate a vegan diet, they note that fruits and vegetables are likely to have positive effects on bone health.
雖然 Nguyen 教授與 Thuc Lan 博士並非全素飲食提倡者，他們仍提到到水果與蔬菜很可能對於骨骼健康有正面影響。
They also note that the study did not measure Vitamin D levels (as important to healthy bone as calcium) and factors such as lifestyle and physical activity. These variables may affect the outcomes for vegetarians elsewhere.
他們也提到，這項研究並沒有測量維他命 D 濃度（對健康骨骼而言與鈣一樣重要）以及生活方式及身體活動這些因子。這些變量也許會影響他處素食主義者的結果。
※ 相關報導：
＊ Veganism, bone mineral density, and body composition: a study in Buddhist nuns
L. T. Ho-Pham, P. L. T. Nguyen, T. T. T. Le, T. A. T. Doan,
N. T. Tran, T. A. Le and T. V. Nguyen
Osteoporosis International, Published online: 7 April 2009
doi: 10.1007/s00198-009-0916-z
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