Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40210635›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Associations between national plant-based vs animal-based protein supplies and age-specific mortality in human populations.

Caitlin J Andrews, David Raubenheimer, Stephen J Simpson, Alistair M Senior

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Caitlin J AndrewsCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW, Sydney, 2006, Australia. caitlin.andrews@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-7523-2046
David RaubenheimerCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW, Sydney, 2006, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9050-1447
Stephen J SimpsonCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW, Sydney, 2006, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0256-7687
Alistair M SeniorCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW, Sydney, 2006, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9805-7280

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transitions to sustainable food systems require shifts in food production and availability, particularly the replacement of animal-based protein with plant-based protein. To explore how this transition may relate to demographic patterns, we undertake an ecological analysis of global associations between age-specific mortality, total national macronutrient distributions, and protein substitution. Our dataset includes per capita daily food supply and demographic data for 101 countries from 1961-2018. After adjusting for time, population size, and economic factors, we find associations between low total protein supplies and higher mortality rates across all age groups. Early-life survivorship improves with higher animal-based protein and fat supplies, while later-life survival improves with increased plant-based protein and lower fat supplies. Here, we show that the optimal balance of protein and fat in national food supplies, which correlates with minimal mortality, varies with age, suggesting that reductions in dietary protein, especially from animal sources, may need to be managed with age-specific redistributions to balance health and environmental benefits.

Indexed as

Animal Proteins, DietaryDietary ProteinsFood SupplyMortalityAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsAnimalsChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornAnimal Proteins, DietaryDietary Proteins

Identifiers

PMID40210635
PMCPMC11986065

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.