removal diet Not only for the environment due to emissions from this industry, it also supports public health. A review of roughly 30 clinical studies shows that people who adopt vegetarian or vegan lifestyles can have up to 14 percent less cholesterol and fat in the blood compared to those who follow an omnivorous diet. Source: European Heart Journal 2022. This is one of the key conclusions from a comprehensive macro review of articles published over the last four decades examining how these diets affect population health. The researchers emphasize the public health significance of the results and suggest that such a diet could be especially beneficial for patients prone to arterial occlusions, potentially lowering the risk of brain and cardiovascular disorders such as strokes and heart attacks.
This finding stems from an analysis of 30 randomized studies conducted between 1982 and 2022, involving a total of 2,372 participants. The studies measured the impact of vegetarian or vegan diets on various lipid markers, including total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol commonly known as LDL or bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B which helps transport fat and cholesterol in the bloodstream. Audience: health researchers and professionals. Source: European Heart Journal 2022.
Vegetarian and vegan participants in all 30 studies adhered to either a plant based plan or maintained an omnivorous regime that included meat and dairy. Diet durations ranged from ten days to five years, with an average length of about 29 weeks. This historical span helps illuminate how dietary patterns influence cardiovascular risk across different life stages and lifestyles.
Reducing the risk of disease
Vegetarian and vegan diets are linked with a 14 percent reduction in all lipoproteins that contribute to artery clogging, notes Ruth Frikke Schmidt, a physician at Copenhagen Hospital in Denmark. The implication is that adopting a vegetarian diet can produce effects similar to taking a substantial fraction of cholesterol lowering medications, potentially reducing cardiovascular risk over a five year horizon by as much as seven percent when combined with other preventive measures. A balanced approach that includes dietary changes alongside medical therapy may yield the best outcomes.
Compared with omnivorous eating patterns, individuals following vegetarian or vegan diets show a notable 10 percent drop in LDL cholesterol and a 14 percent drop in total cholesterol. The researcher emphasizes that these results underscore the health potential of plant based eating and suggests early adoption can meaningfully lower lifetime cardiovascular risk.
The meta analysis reveals consistent effects across continents, age groups, body mass index categories, and health statuses, indicating that vegetarian and vegan patterns can benefit people from normal weight to obesity. The doctor highlights that strong effects are observable across diverse populations.
Plant based nutrition is associated with improvements in heart health, a concept echoed by researchers in multiple surveys and trials. The Mediterranean pattern, which blends plant centered foods with fish, has been repeatedly linked to favorable cardiovascular outcomes and is commonly recommended in dietary guidelines.
Greenhouse gas reduction
These findings carry real weight because cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of death worldwide, and vegetarian diets can contribute to broader public health goals. Plant forward eating supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by reducing premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases while also helping protect the environment and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Notes from researchers connect population dietary shifts toward plant based patterns with potential cost savings for health systems as well.
In high income countries a transition toward plant based diets could cut greenhouse gas emissions by roughly a third to almost half, according to the researchers. They also point out that aging populations tend to increase the cost burden of treating age related conditions such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The takeaway is that a vegetarian approach can help steer food production toward more sustainable practices while simultaneously reducing cardiovascular risk. The recommendation remains to eat a varied plant rich diet in sensible portions and to stay well hydrated.
Reference work: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad211
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