Healthful plant-based diets reduce risk of CVD, T2D and cancer

Aim

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the current evidence regarding the association between adherence to a plant-based diet and the risk of CVD, T2D and cancer. CVD, T2D and cancer account for nearly one in every two deaths globally.(1)

Method

The meta-analysis included 55 prospective cohort studies with 2,230,443 participants from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The studies evaluated the association between adherence to a plant-based diet (assessed using either FFQs or 24-hours recalls), and the incidence of T2D, CVD, cancer, and mortality amongst adults (aged >18 years old).

Plant-based dietary patterns ranged from vegan and vegetarian to diets classified as healthful or unhealthful based on plant-based dietary indices scores. Healthful-plant based diets emphasised the intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes while unhealthful plant-based diets were rich in refined grains, starchy vegetables and sugars.

Key findings

Higher adherence to a plant-based diet is associated with positive health outcomes

The study found that a greater adherence to a plant-based diet was associated with:

• 18% lower risk of T2D (RR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.77-0.86)

• 10% lower risk of CVD (RR 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85-0.94)

• 9% reduced cancer risk (RR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.96)

  • Specifically lower risk of breast cancer, digestive system overall (accessory organs and digestive tract but not colon cancer)

• 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.78-0.92)

Healthful plant-based diets associated with improved outcomes, whilst unhealthful plant diets increase disease risk

The associations with reduced risk of T2D, CVD and cancer were notably stronger when individuals followed healthful plant-based diets compared to unhealthy diets. Conversely, greater adherence to an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with higher risks of T2D, CVD , cancer, and overall mortality.

The beneficial nutrient profile of healthful plant-based diets, characterised by lower energy density, reduced saturated fat, increased fibre intake and lower consumption of red meat, is well document to be associated with improved outcomes for CVD, T2D, cancer and mortality.

Conclusion

This study contributes to the extensive body of evidence demonstrating that the consumption of healthful plant-based diets which are rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes markedly decrease the risk of T2D, CVD and cancer and promote longevity.

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