A joint Australian-Vietnamese study investigating the links between diet and the bone health of humans has found that vegetarians have slightly weaker bones than their meat-eating counterparts. As a part of the study, the studied the diet and bones of more than 2,700 people.

Lead researcher Tuan Nguyen said that vegetarians had 5% less dense bones than meat-eaters. Vegans, who refrain from eating all animal products were found to have 6% weaker bones.

However, researchers found "rapctically no differnece" between the bone density of meat-eaters and ovolactovegarians - people who don't eat meat or seafood but include eggs and dairy in their diets.

The scientists have not yet determined whether the lower bone density, howver, is linked to an increased risk of fracture.

"Given the rising number of vegetarians, roughly 5% (of people) in Western countries, and the widespread incidence of osteoporosis, the issue is worth resolving." Nguyen said.

Nyguen, who is from Sydney's Garvan Institute for Medical Research, collaborated on the project with Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City. The results were published in Thursday's edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.