THE EFFECT OF PLANT-BASED AND MYCOPROTEIN-BASED MEAT SUBSTITUTES ON CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK FACTORS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF CONTROLLED INTERVENTION TRIALS

Abstract

Objective: Plant-based and mycoprotein-based meat substitutes are predicted to play a key role in the re-duction of meat intake, however, their impact on human health is unclear. The main objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the short-term effects of meat substitutes on important cardiometabolic biomarkers (total cholesterol, TC; LDL-cholesterol, LDL-C; HDL-cholesterol, HDL-C; Triglycerides, TG; Systolic blood pressure, SBP; Diastolic blood pressure, DBP; Fasting blood glucose, FBG; weight) in controlled clinical trials. Design and method: Embase and MEDLINE were searched to identify controlled clinical trials with meat substitute interventions and cardiometabolic biomarker outcomes. Standardised mean differences in TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, FBG, SBP, DBP, and weight and 95% confidence intervals were pooled using a random effects model. Risk of bias, heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias were assessed. Results: Of the 934 records identified, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. In the pooled analyses the consumption of meat substitutes was associated with significantly lower TC (-0.50 mmol/L [95% CIs -0.70, -0.29]), LDL-C (-0.39 mmol/L [-0.57, -0.21]), and TG (-0.15 mmol/L [-0.29, -0.01]), non-significantly lower FBG (-0.08 [-0.23, 0.08]), SBP (-0.32 [-1.79, 1.41]), and weight (-0.12 [-1.52, 1.27]), and non-significantly higher HDL-C (0.01 [-0.02, 0.05]) and DBP (0.49 [-0.30, 1.28]). There was evidence of publication bias, and some heterogeneity was detected. The certainty of evidence was moderate for the TC and HDL-C results, low for the LDL-C, TG, SBP, DBP, and weight results, and very low for the FBG results. Conclusions: Replacement of some or all meat with plant-based or mycoprotein-based substitutes may lower TC, LDL-C, and TG.