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Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the top two causes of death in the United States. Vegan and vegetarian diets were again found to improve cardiovascular risk factors such as total and LDL cholesterol, weight, and blood sugar control and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dying, according to a new umbrella review published in PLOS One. Plant-based diets have also been shown to reverse established heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Leading Causes of Death. Last updated May 2, 2024. Accessed on May 16, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm#print
2. Capodici A, Mocciaro G, Gori D, et al. Cardiovascular health and cancer risk associated with plant based diets: an umbrella review. PLoS ONE. 2024;19(5): e0300711. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0300711
3. Esselstyn CB Jr, Gendy G, Doyle J, Golubic M, Roizen MF. A way to reverse CAD? J Fam Pract. 2014 Jul;63(7):356-364b.
4. Panigrahi G, Goodwin SM, Staffier KL, Karlsen M. Remission of type 2 diabetes after treatment with a high-fiber, low-fat, plant-predominant diet intervention: a case series. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1177/15598276231181574
5. Tripathi P, Kadam N, Sharma B, et al. Effectiveness of an intensive lifestyle modification program on type 2 diabetes remission in Indian population. Diabetes. 2023;72(Supplement_1):1790–PUB. doi:10.2337/db23-1790-PUB
Substituting red and processed meat, dairy, eggs, and poultry with nuts, legumes, and whole grains improve heart health and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and death, according to a new systematic review. The 37 studies analyzed showed decisively that these plant-based foods were beneficial for human health, especially when replacing animal-based foods. Replacing 50g of processed meat per day with legumes was associated with a 23% lower risk of dying from heart disease, while replacement with whole grains was associated with a 36% lower risk.
References
Neuenschwander M, Stadelmaier J, Eble J, et al. Substitution of animal-based with plant-based foods on cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Med. 2023;21:404. doi:10.1186/s12916-023-03093-1
Plant-based diets improve markers of cardiovascular health among people at highest risk of developing heart disease, according to a meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open. A comprehensive review of 29 randomized control trials found that cholesterol, blood sugar, and body weight all improved more on vegetarian/vegan diets than they did simply by using standard therapy for cardiovascular disease.1
Numerous Physicians Committee studies were included in the analysis, including a recent study that found a low-fat vegan diet outperformed a Mediterranean diet in improving multiple cardiometabolic risk factors.2
References
1. Wang T, Kroeger CM, Cassidy S, et al. Vegetarian dietary patterns and cardiometabolic risk in people with or at high risk of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(7):e2325658. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.
2. Barnard ND, Alwarith J, Rembert E, et al. A Mediterranean diet and low-fat vegan diet to improve body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors: a randomized, cross-over trial. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2022;41(2):127-139. doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.
Special chemicals found in plants called phytochemicals may explain many benefits of a plant-based diet. A meta-analysis of studies on frailty found that phytochemicals are likely why plant-based diets reduce older adults’ risk of falling and other injuries.1 Another study also found that phytochemicals improve cholesterol and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.2 Citrus fruits, colorful berries, leafy vegetables, and soybeans are especially high in phytochemicals.
References
1. Dominguez LJ, Donat-Vargas C, Sayon-Orea C, et al. Rationale of the association between Mediterranean diet and the risk of frailty in older adults and systematic review and meta-analysis. Exp Gerontol. 2023;177:112180. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2023.
2. Li Y, Xu Y, Ma X, et al. (Poly)phenol intake, plant-rich dietary patterns and cardiometabolic health: a cross-sectional study. Food Funct. Published online April 17, 2023. doi:10.1039/d3fo00019b
Statins, drugs which are used to lower cholesterol, appear to contribute to diabetes risk, according to a review paper published in the European Journal of Pharmacology.1 The authors analyzed 67 studies representing over 25,000 individuals and found that statins negatively impacted blood sugar control. This happened regardless of the dose and whether or not a person had normal or altered glycemic control. Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin had the worst effect. This is consistent with previous research that has shown that statin therapy worsens glycemic control2 and increases the risk of developing diabetes.3
Both cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol levels are lifestyle-related diseases that can be prevented and even reversed by a whole food, plant-based diet.
References
1. Alvarez-Jimenez L, Morales-Palomo F, Moreno-Cabañas A, et al. Effects of statin therapy on glycemic control and insulin resistance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Pharmacol. 2023;947:175672. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175672
2. Cai R, Yuan Y, Sun J, et al. Statins worsen glycemic control of T2DM in target LDL-c level and LDL-c reduction dependent manners: a meta-analysis. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2016;17(14):1839-1849. doi:10.1080/14656566.2016.1220539
3. Thakker D, Nair S, Pagada A, et al. Statin use and the risk of developing diabetes: a network meta-analysis. Pharmacoepidemiol and Drug Saf. 2016;25(10):1131-1149. doi:10.1002/pds.4020
Consuming plant-based protein reduces the risk of early death from any cause and from heart disease, according to a meta-analysis published in The British Medical Journal. Researchers from Harvard University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences compared animal versus plant-based protein intake and mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all causes among 32 studies and 715,128 participants. For each additional 3% of calories from plant protein, such as legumes, grains, and soy products, the risk of dying lowers by 5%. Consuming animal proteins did not lower the risk of death from heart disease or cancer. The authors suggest replacing animal protein with plant protein for its association with longevity.
Reference: Naghshi S, Sadeghi O, Willett WC, Esmaillzadeh A. Dietary intake of total, animal, and plant proteins and risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMJ. 2020;370:m2412-m2429.