A new scientific literature review has found that vegetarian and vegan diets help improve cardiometabolic risk factors, such as elevated lipids, blood sugar, body weight, BMI, and inflammation. The individuals studied also had a lower risk of ischemic heart disease and gastrointestinal and prostate cancers. The authors of the study, which was published on May 15 in the journal PLOS ONE, further stated that people who ate vegetarian diets were at reduced risk for dying from cardiovascular disease.
They did note, however, that pregnant people eating vegetarian diets did not appear to have any difference in their risk of developing gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. The authors wrote that prior studies have shown that diets low in plant foods and high in meat, refined grains, sugar, and salt are associated with a greater risk of death. They said this suggests that eating a more plant-based diet should have the opposite effect, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
To see whether this assumption held up, the researchers examined 48 papers published over a 23-year span. When they analyzed the two decades of compiled data, they found that the association between vegetarian and vegan diets and reduced cardiometabolic risk factors was quite strong. The research team conceded, however, that the study had some limitations, such as variations in the exact diet followed, patient demographics, and study length.
Dr. Libbat Shaham, a board certified family physi.
