Plant-based diets linked to lower risks of death, heart disease, stroke and diabetes
Diets that prioritize plant-based foods while limiting meat and dairy products are associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
That was the primary takeaway from a new study of more than 3.4 million adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), UK Biobank or one of 37 different clinical trials. The full analysis was published in Science Advances.[1]
For this study, researchers focused on participant adherence to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), a diet heavy on plants and light on meats and dairy products. The PHD was also designed to be good for the planet, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing the use of fertilizer.
All participants received a score based on how closely they adhered to the PHD. The median PHD score for NHANES participants, for example, was 30; it ranged from 10 to 95. In UK Biobank, on the other hand, the median PHD score was 59, and scores ranged from 17 to 110.
Overall, the study’s authors found that higher PHD adherence was directly associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality. Higher PHD adherence did reduce the risk of cancer mortality in UK Biobank, but the same association was not seen when focused on NHANES participants.
In addition, following a PHD was linked to reduced risks of several conditions, including CVD, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, colorectal cancer and lung cancer.
Researchers also ran a series of calculations that suggest adhering to a PHD can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is believed to be due to the fact that meat and dairy consumption are dramatically reduced when someone follows a PHD.
“This analysis highlights the importance of promoting PHD for improving public health and combating global climate change,” wrote first author Yuanyuan Wang, a researcher with the School of Public Health at Southeast University in Nanjing, China, and colleagues. “Further research should focus more on the implementation of PHD across diverse populations and on exploring its environmental benefits.”
Click here to read the full study.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.