New research has revealed that the UK’s National Health Service could save GBP 6.7 billion annually if everyone adopted a vegan diet.
The study, conducted by the Office of Health Economics, concluded that 100% adoption of a plant-based diet could result in 2.1 million fewer cases of disease, such as diabetes and cancer, and a gain of 170,000 quality-adjusted life years across the country.
The Vegan Society, which funded the study, said that the savings could cover the yearly budget of seven hospitals in England or the annual salaries of 64,990 consultants or 184,920 nurses.
Although previous studies have suggested a link between plant-based diets and improved health, there has been little research up to now into how health services could financially benefit from such diets.
Report author Dr Chris Sampson, of the Office of Health Economics, said, ‘There is now compelling evidence that plant-based diets can benefit people’s health. Our analysis takes a significant step towards understanding how dietary choices impact population health and NHS expenditure overall.’
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