Plant-based Dietary Pattern Research Articles

A Therapeutic Approach in the Management of Chronic Kidney Disease: Plant-Based Dietary Models and Associated Parameters.

Chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide today. Nutrition and nutrition-related factors have a very important role in both the prevention and management of the disease. Plant-based dietary practices are one of the promising approaches to chronic kidney disease. This review aims to examine the potential benefits and risks of plant-based diet models on symptoms and indices used in diet quality in chronic kidney disease. Recently, a growing body of evidence has shown that, unlike animal-based diets, diets rich in plant-based nutrients may play an active role in the incidence of chronic kidney disease in many ways and the management of common symptoms, such as metabolic acidosis, uremic toxicity, and hyperphosphatemia. Implementation of existing plant-based dietary patterns in patients with chronic kidney disease may increase the efficacy of the diet and improve patients' quality of life by expanding their food choices. While there are concerns about creatine deficiency, dietary adequacy, and accessibility regarding plant-based diets, available information is limited.

Interaction between plant-based dietary pattern and frailty on cognitive decline: a longitudinal analysis of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey cohort.

Frailty is a risk factor for faster cognitive decline, while plant-based dietary patterns are associated with decreased risk of cognitive decline. We aimed to explore their interaction with cognitive function among older adults. We used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey between 2008 and 2018. Frailty was evaluated based on the frailty index (FI), and the plant-based diet index (PDI) was calculated using food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Repeated measures of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were utilised to assess cognitive function. We used linear mixed models to estimate regression coefficients (β) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We included 7,166 participants with a median follow-up of 5.8years. Participants in pre-frail (β = -0.18, 95% CI: -0.24, -0.13) and frail (β = -0.39, 95% CI: -0.48, -0.30) groups experienced an accelerated decline in MMSE score compared with the robust group. The PDI modified the above association, with corresponding associations with frailty being much more pronounced among participants with a lower PDI (frail vs. robust β = -0.44, 95% CI: -0.56, -0.32), compared with those with a higher PDI (frail vs. robust β = -0.27, 95% CI: -0.40, -0.13). In addition, A combination of frailty and a low PDI was strongly associated with a faster decline in MMSE score (β = -0.52, 95% CI: -0.63, -0.41). Adherence to plant-based dietary patterns attenuates the association between frailty and cognitive decline. If the observed association is causal, promoting plant-based dietary patterns may be a strategy to reduce the effects of frailty on neurological health.

Plant-based dietary patterns and risk of esophageal cancer: A prospective cohort study spanning 17 years.

Plant-based diets have multiple health benefits for cancers; however, little is known about the association between plant-based dietary patterns and esophageal cancer (EC).This study presents an investigation of the prospective associations among three predefined indices of plant-based dietary patterns and the risk of EC. We performed endoscopic screening for 15,709 participants aged 40-69 years from two high-risk areas of China from January 2005 to December 2009 and followed the cohort until December 31, 2022. The overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI), were calculated using survey responses to assess dietary patterns. We applied Cox proportional hazard regression to estimate the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of EC across 3 plant-based diet indices and further stratified the analysis by subgroups. The final study sample included 15,184 participants in the cohort. During a follow-up of 219,365 person-years, 176 patients with EC were identified. When the highest quartile was compared with the lowest quartile, the pooled multivariable-adjusted HR of EC was 0.50 (95% CI, 0.32-0.77) for hPDI. In addition, the HR per 10-point increase in the hPDI score was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.27-0.66) for ECs. Conversely, uPDI was positively associated with the risk of EC, and the HR was 1.80 (95% CI, 1.16-2.82). The HR per 10-point increase in the uPDI score was 1.90 (95% CI, 1.26-2.88) for ECs. The associations between these scores and the risk of EC were consistent in most subgroups. These results remained robust in sensitivity analyses. A healthy plant-based dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of EC. Emphasizing the healthiness and quality of plant-based diets may be important for preventing the development of EC.

Diet quality, diet motives, and nutrition literacy of vegans, vegetarians, and semi-vegetarians.

Limited research is available on how motivations to adopt plant-based diets and nutrition literacy influence diet quality. This study assessed diet quality, diet motives and nutrition literacy in vegans, vegetarians, and semi-vegetarians, and investigated predictors of dietary quality. Cross-sectional study, participants completed an online survey about diet-related motives and nutrition literacy. Dietary intake was assessed with the Diet History Questionnaire III and diet quality was calculated with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015. A one-way ANCOVA was used to compare diet quality, nutrition literacy, and diet motives among diets. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of diet quality. Online survey, participants were recruited through paid targeted social media (Facebook/Instagram) advertising. Adults following a plant-based diet, including 117 (52.5%) vegans, 51 (22.9%) vegetarians, and 55 (24.6%) semi-vegetarians. Vegans had higher HEI-2015 scores (80.8±6.5, p<0.001) compared to vegetarians (75.1±9.1), and semi-vegetarians (76.8±7.5). Most participants (74%) had good nutrition literacy scores. Total nutrition literacy did not differ between groups, but vegans had higher vegetarian nutrition literacy than vegetarians and semi-vegetarians (p<0.001). Ecological welfare, health, and sensory appeal were highly important to all participants. Motives accounted for 12.8% of the variance in diet quality scores. HEI-2015 scores were positively associated with motives of health and natural content, but negatively associated with weight control motivation (all p<0.05). Individuals following plant-based dietary patterns have high diet quality and nutrition literacy. Messages valuing intrinsic over extrinsic factors may facilitate healthier dietary adherence in this population.

Unraveling the role of serum metabolites in the relationship between plant-based diets and bone health in community-dwelling older adults

The potential adverse effects of the plant-based dietary pattern on bone health have received widespread attention. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of plant-based diets on bone health remain incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to identify potential biomarkers between plant-based diets and bone loss utilizing metabolomic techniques in the Taizhou Imaging Study (TIS) (N = 788). Plant-based diet indexes (overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI)) were calculated using the food frequency questionnaire, and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the associations of plant-based diet indexes with bone loss. Furthermore, mediation analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were performed to explore the mediated effects of metabolites on the association of plant-based diets with BMD T-score. Our results showed that higher hPDI and uPDI were positively associated with bone loss. Moreover, nineteen metabolites were significantly associated with BMD T-score, among them, seven metabolites were associated with uPDI. Except for cholesterol esters in VLDL-1, the remaining six metabolites significantly mediated the negative association between uPDI and BMD T-score. Interestingly, we observed that the same six metabolites mediated the positive association between fresh fruit and BMD T-score. Collectively, our results support the deleterious effects of plant-based diets on bone health and discover the potential mediation effect of metabolites on the association of plant-based diets with bone loss. The findings offer valuable insights that could optimize dietary recommendations and interventions, contributing to alleviate the potential adverse effects associated with plant-based diets.

Geographical Distribution of Dietary Patterns and Their Association with T2DM in Chinese Adults Aged 45 y and Above: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to investigate the geographical distribution of dietary patterns and their association with T2DM among Chinese adults aged 45 years and above. Data was from the China Adults Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance (2015). Dietary intake for each participant was determined through a combination of 3-day 24-h dietary recall interviews and food frequency questionnaires. Principal component analysis was used to extract dietary patterns and spatial analysis was employed to investigate the geographic distribution of them. T2DM was diagnosed using criteria of ADA 2018, and binary logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between dietary patterns and T2DM. A total of 36,648 participants were included in the study; 10.9% of them were diagnosed as T2DM. Three dietary patterns were identified with the name of plant-based pattern, animal-based pattern, and oriental traditional pattern, which were represented located in northern, northwest, and southern regions, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the highest quartile of the plant-based pattern were associated with lower T2DM odds (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.90) when comparing with the lowest quartile. However, participants inclined to higher quartiles of animal-based pattern had a higher risk of T2DM (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.27) compared with those in the lower quartiles. No significant association was found between the oriental traditional pattern and T2DM (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.14). Dietary patterns of Chinese population revealed geographical disparities, with plant-based dietary pattern showing protective effects and animal-based pattern carrying high risks for T2DM. Regional dietary variations and food environment are paramount in T2DM prevention and management.

Association between Plant-based Diet and Risk of Chronic Diseases and All-Cause Mortality in Centenarians in China: A Cohort Study

BackgroundNumerous studies have suggested the health benefits of a plant-based dietary pattern. However, whether this dietary pattern is associated with health benefits for centenarians remains unexplored. Our study aimed to investigate the correlation between 16 widely consumed Chinese food items and the incidence rates of chronic diseases and all-cause mortality among centenarians. MethodsWe conducted a dietary survey on 3372 centenarians with an average age of 102.33 y in China. After rigorous screening, we identified 2675 centenarians, who underwent a 10-y follow-up study with all-cause mortality as the primary outcome. We developed 6 dietary patterns on the basis of the food consumption frequency of each participant. To model the impact of missing values, we employed multiple imputation methods, verifying the robustness of models. ResultsThe overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI), unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI), healthy plant-based foods index (HPF), unhealthy plant-based foods index (uHPF), and animal-based foods index (AF) scores among centenarians in China were 46.95 ± 6.29, 44.43 ± 5.76, 51.09 ± 6.26, 21.63 ± 4.79, 9.91 ± 2.41, and 14.59 ± 3.58, respectively. High scores of PDI, hPDI, and HPF were associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases. In the 10-y follow-up study, 92.90% of centenarians have died. The high scores of the PDI (HRPDI = 0.81), hPDI (HRhPDI = 0.79), and HPF (HRHPF = 0.81) scores were significantly associated with a lower risk of death compared with the low scores. Conversely, the high AF score (HRAF = 1.17) was significantly associated with a higher risk of death compared with the low scores. ConclusionDespite the fact that a higher score in both a predominantly plant-based dietary pattern and a healthy dietary pattern can decrease the death among centenarians, not all HPFs have this effect. A higher AF predicted a higher risk of mortality, whereas higher PDI, hPDI, and HPF were associated with a lower risk of mortality among Chinese centenarians.

The shift to plant-based dietary patterns in China would have significant effects on cultivated land resources

The shift to plant-based dietary patterns in China would have significant effects on cultivated land resources

Plant-based dietary patterns and risk of insomnia: a prospective study.

Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary factors may affect sleep, but the associations between dietary patterns and insomnia risk have been poorly explored. The aim of this study was to investigate if plant-based diets are associated with reduced insomnia risks in a cohort study design. Tzu Chi Health Study participants (N = 5821) recruited from 2007 to 2009 without insomnia were followed until 2018. A traditional classification method (vegetarians vs. non-vegetarians) and a healthful plant-based index (hPDI) were used to define adherence to plant-based dietary patterns. Incident cases of insomnia were ascertained by linking with the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Associations between plant-based diets and insomnia were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. A total of 464 incident cases of insomnia were identified in the 55,562 person-years of follow up. Insomnia risk was lower in vegetarians when compared to non-vegetarians, hazard ratios (HR) 0.47 (95% CI: 0.27, 0.81) and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.91) for males and females respectively. Male participants with the highest hPDI were associated with a significant lower risk of insomnia (HR 0.50 [95% CI: 0.30, 0.85]) when compared to those in the lowest quintile. No association between adherence to hPDI and insomnia in female participants was observed. Our study showed that vegetarians are associated with a lower risk of insomnia, but there may be sex-specific associations between adherence to hPDI and insomnia risk. These favorable associations are important when considering plant-based diets for their potential additional sleep benefits.

Plant-based dietary patterns and genetic susceptibility to obesity in the CARTaGENE cohort.

The study's objective was to examine whether adherence to three plant-based dietary indices (PDIs) mediated or moderated genetic susceptibility to obesity. Baseline participants were 7037 adults (57% women, aged 55.6 ± 7.7 years) from the CARTaGENE cohort of Quebec adults. Two polygenic risk scores for BMI (PRS-BMI), 92 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 2 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and three plant-based scores were calculated (overall, healthy, and unhealthy). Follow-up participants were 2258 adults with data on obesity outcomes, measured 6 years later. General linear models were used to examine the relationships between PRSs and PDI scores on obesity outcomes. Causal mediation analyses were conducted to assess mediation and interaction models. The overall- and healthy-PDIs and PRSs were significantly associated with obesity outcomes. Adherence to PDIs did not mediate or moderate genetic susceptibility to obesity. Associations between PRSs and obesity outcomes were partly mediated by meat intake cross-sectionally and whole grains intake among males both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Higher meat intake had a positive association with obesity outcomes, whereas higher whole grains intake had an inverse association. These findings suggest that components of a plant-based diet and a shift away from animal products, specifically meat, might be beneficial for nutrition interventions, particularly among individuals with higher genetic risk of obesity.

Association between Skin Carotenoid Score Measured with Veggie Meter® and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Adolescents from Southern Italy

The Veggie Meter® (Longevity Link Corporation, Salt Lake City, UT, USA), is a new portable device for the non-invasive and rapid detection of skin carotenoid content, which represents an acceptable biomarker for the evaluation of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. FVs are important components of a healthy diet, including the Mediterranean Diet (MD), which is a plant-based dietary pattern. Here, we evaluated the adherence to the MD via the administration of two online food questionnaires, and we measured the skin carotenoid content using the Veggie Meter® in a cohort of 498 healthy adolescents (233 males and 265 females) from Southern Italy. Using KIDMED and the MD Pyramid tests to assess the adherence to the MD, we found an average adherence (5.43 ± 2.57 and 7.20 ± 1.93, respectively) to the MD in our sample population. Moreover, we observed that the skin carotenoid score was 364.75 ± 98.29, which was within the normal range and inversely related to the BMI (r = −0.1461, p = 0.0011). Similar results were observed when the population was categorized by sex. Interestingly, we demonstrated, for the first time, a positive correlation between the carotenoid score and the adherence to the MD assessed using both the KIDMED and MD Pyramid tests in the total population (r = −0.2926, p &lt; 0.0001 and r = −0.1882, p &lt; 0.0001, respectively). The same direct correlation was found in adolescents according to their sex. Our findings highlight the potential of the Veggie Meter® as a feasible and promising tool for evaluating adherence to the MD and, ultimately, to promote healthy eating habits among adolescents.

Exploring Benefits and Barriers of Plant-Based Diets: Health, Environmental Impact, Food Accessibility and Acceptability.

Unhealthy dietary patterns are directly linked to the current Global Syndemic consisting of non-communicable diseases, undernutrition and climate change. The dietary shift towards healthier and more sustainable plant-based diets is essential. However, plant-based diets have wide intra differences; varying from vegan diets that totally exclude meat and animal products to traditional ones such as the Mediterranean diet and the new Nordic diet. It is acknowledged that plant-based diets may contribute simultaneously to improving population health as well as to decreasing the environmental impact of food systems. Evidence from cohort and randomized-controlled trials suggests that plant-based dietary patterns have beneficial effects on bodyweight control, cardiovascular health and diabetes prevention and treatment. On the other hand, micronutrient requirements may not be met, if some plant-based diets are not well-planned. Additionally, studies showed that lower consumption of meat and animal products results in lower environmental impacts. Consequently, plant-based diets could be a key factor to increase diet sustainability. This narrative review addresses the advantages of adherence to plant-based diets on human and planetary health considering strains and barriers to achieve this dietary transition, including cultural acceptability and affordability factors. Finally, potential intervention and policy recommendations are proposed, focusing on the update of current national food-based dietary guidelines.

Plant-based dietary patterns and fasting insulin: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2017–2018

Background Previous studies have created plant-based diet indices to assess the health effects of specific dietary patterns.ObjectiveTo examine the association between the plant-based content of diet and fasting insulin in adults from the NHANES 2017–2018 database.MethodsDemographic, dietary, lab and clinical data and fasting insulin were obtained from the NHANES 2017–2018 database. From two 24-h dietary recalls, we created a plant-based diet index (PDI) and a healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI). A high PDI score indicated more plants were consumed versus animal foods. A high hPDI score indicated healthier, plant materials (whole grains, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, vegetable oils, seeds and nuts) were consumed. The relationships between the natural log of fasting insulin, PDI, and hPDI were analyzed using multiple linear regression adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).ResultsAnalyses were based on 1,714 participants, 897 women and 817 men with a median age of 52 years. In this sample, 610 (35.6%) were white, 407 (23.8%) were black, 231 (13.5%) were Mexican, 207 (12.1%) were Asian, 157 (9.2%) were other Hispanic, and 102 (6%) were other or mixed race. Median fasting insulin was 9.74 μU/mL (IQR: 6.2, 15.56). For every 1 unit increase in PDI, the natural log of fasting insulin decreased 0.0068 ± 0.003 μU/mL (CI: -0.00097, -0.013) (p = 0.02). After adjusting for BMI and ALT, the PDI did not significantly predict fasting insulin as the association was not robust due to multicollinearity. The hPDI was inversely and significantly associated with the natural log of fasting insulin (-0.0027 ± 0.00134, CI: -0.000087, -0.0053) (p = 0.043) in a multivariable model including BMI and ALT.ConclusionA healthy plant-based diet is associated with a decrease in fasting insulin levels. Healthfulness of the diet is an important factor when considering the benefit of a plant-based diet.

Adherence to Healthy or Unhealthy Pro-Vegetarian Plant-Based Diets Have Different Impact on Prostate Cancer Severity: Preliminary Findings

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a prevalent malignancy affecting men worldwide, and plant-based diets have been widely advocated for their health benefits. The aim of this study was to test the association between general, healthy, and unhealthy pro-vegetarian plant-based diets and PCa severity on 118 consecutive patients undergoing prostatectomy in a university hospital in Italy. Food frequency questionnaires were used to calculate scores for dietary patterns. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to test the associations. A general plant-based diet was not associated with cancer severity, while patients reporting a higher adherence to a healthy plant-based diet were less likely to have a more severe PCa (for medium/high vs. low-risk PCa, OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.88; for high vs. medium/low-risk PCa, OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.39). Patients resulting in higher adherence to an unhealthy plant-based diet were more likely to be diagnosed with more severe PCa (OR = 6.15, 95% CI: 1.70, 22.24). In conclusion, plant-based dietary patterns may have a different impact on PCa severity depending on the quality of the foods included.

Plasma metabolomics profiles in Black and White participants of the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort

BackgroundBlack Americans suffer disparities in risk for cardiometabolic and other chronic diseases. Findings from the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) cohort have shown associations of plant-based dietary patterns and healthy lifestyle factors with prevention of such diseases. Hence, it is likely that racial differences in metabolic profiles correlating with disparities in chronic diseases are explained largely by diet and lifestyle, besides social determinants of health.MethodsUntargeted plasma metabolomics screening was performed on plasma samples from 350 participants of the AHS-2, including 171 Black and 179 White participants, using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and a global platform of 892 metabolites. Differences in metabolites or biochemical subclasses by race were analyzed using linear regression, considering various models adjusted for known confounders, dietary and/or other lifestyle behaviors, social vulnerability, and psychosocial stress. The Storey permutation approach was used to adjust for false discovery at FDR < 0.05.ResultsLinear regression revealed differential abundance of over 40% of individual metabolites or biochemical subclasses when comparing Black with White participants after adjustment for false discovery (FDR < 0.05), with the vast majority showing lower abundance in Blacks. Associations were not appreciably altered with adjustment for dietary patterns and socioeconomic or psychosocial stress. Metabolite subclasses showing consistently lower abundance in Black participants included various lipids, such as lysophospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamines, monoacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, and long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids, among other subclasses or lipid categories. Among all biochemical subclasses, creatine metabolism exclusively showed higher abundance in Black participants, although among metabolites within this subclass, only creatine showed differential abundance after adjustment for glomerular filtration rate. Notable metabolites in higher abundance in Black participants included methyl and propyl paraben sulfates, piperine metabolites, and a considerable proportion of acetylated amino acids, including many previously found associated with glomerular filtration rate.ConclusionsDifferences in metabolic profiles were evident when comparing Black and White participants of the AHS-2 cohort. These differences are likely attributed in part to dietary behaviors not adequately explained by dietary pattern covariates, besides other environmental or genetic factors. Alterations in these metabolites and associated subclasses may have implications for the prevention of chronic diseases in Black Americans.

Analysis of different plant- and animal-based dietary patterns and their relationship with serum uric acid levels in Chinese adults

BackgroundDietary patterns play an important role in regulating serum uric acid levels in the body, but evidence for the association between different kinds of plant-based and animal-based dietary patterns and individual serum uric acid levels is scarce and inconsistent.MethodsWe analyzed data from the sixth wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. The plant-based diet of 7,806 participants was determined using three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, and latent profile analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among participants. Serum uric acid levels were analyzed using the enzymatic colorimetric method. The association between intakes of different types of dietary pattern and individual serum uric acid levels was analyzed using linear regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding variables.ResultsWe identified three types of plant-based dietary patterns, namely, low tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (LTVP), high cereal, tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (HCTVP), and high legume and fruit plant-based diet (HLFP). We also identified three types of animal-based dietary patterns, namely, high milk and egg animal-based diet (HMiEA), low egg and fish animal-based diet, and high meat and fish animal-based diet (HMeFA). Significant coefficients for participant serum uric acid levels were observed for the HCTVP diet (β = −0.022, P = 0.031) and HMeFA diet (β = 0.061, P < 0.001). The median intake of foods in the HCTVP diet was as follows: cereals and cereal products, 444.83 g/d; tubers and starch products, 166.67 g/d; dried legumes and legume products, 8.33 g/d; vegetables and vegetable products, 333.33 g/d; and fruits and fruit products, 0 g/d. The median intake of foods in the HMeFA diet was as follows: meat and meat products, 73.33 g/d; poultry and poultry products, 0 g/d; milk and milk products, 0 g/d; eggs and egg products, 26.67 g/d; and fish, shellfish, and mollusks, 180.00 g/d.ConclusionWe showed that individual serum uric acid levels (1) might decrease under the plant-based HCTVP diet, (2) might increase under the animal-based HMeFA diet, (3) might not decrease under the plant-based HLFP diet, and (4) might not increase under the animal-based HMiEA diet. Further studies are needed to confirm these associations.

Plant-based diets and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: the Million Veteran Program

BackgroundA healthful plant-based diet was associated with lower risks of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and a favourable profile of adiposity-associated biomarkers, while an unhealthful plant-based diet was...

The effects of plant-based dietary patterns on the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The worldwide prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a significant health challenge. Plant-based dietary patterns are a series dietary habits that emphasized foods derived from plant sources more and from animal foods less. Now, no consensus exists on the effects of plant-based dietary patterns on the incident of GDM. This study aimed to estimate the effects of plant-based dietary patterns on the risk of developing GDM. This systematic review was conducted following the checklist of PRISMA. Six electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wangfang, and Chinese Scientific Journals Database were searched from inception to November 20, 2022. A fixed or random effect model was used to synthesize results of included studies. Then, subgroup analysis, meta-regression and sensitivity analysis were performed to assure the reliability and stability of the results. Ten studies including 32,006 participants were identified. The results of this study showed that the better adherence to the plant-based dietary patterns was related to the lower risk of developing GDM (RR = 0.88[0.81 to 0.96], I2 = 14.8%). The slightly stronger association between plant-based diets and the risk of developing GDM was found when healthy plant-based dietary pattern index was included in pooled estimate (RR = 0.86[0.79 to 0.94], I2 = 8.3%), compared with that unhealthy one was included (RR = 0.90[0.82 to 0.98], I2 = 8.3%). The plant-based dietary patterns are associated with a lower risk of developing GDM. Furthermore, healthy plant-based dietary patterns are more recommended than unhealthy one. It is significant to help medical staff to guide pregnant women to choose reasonable diets.

Plant-based dietary patterns, genetic predisposition and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective study from the UK Biobank

BackgroundPlant-based dietary patterns may affect colorectal cancer (CRC) related outcomes, while risks differ in the quality of plant foods. We aimed to examine the association of plant-based diet quality with risks of CRC incidence and mortality and whether this association was modified by genetic risk.MethodsThis prospective cohort study included 186,675 participants free of cancer when the last dietary recall was completed. We calculated three plant-based diet indices (PDIs), i.e., the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), the healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and the unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) representing adherence to plant-based diets with diverse quality. Genetic risk was characterized using a weighted polygenic risk score (PRS), capturing overall risk variants associated with CRC. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidential intervals (CI) were estimated by the cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model.ResultsOver a follow-up of 9.5 years, 2163 cases and 466 deaths from CRC were documented. The HR of CRC incidence was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.81–0.96) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.84–0.99) per 10-score increase in PDI and hPDI, respectively. Compared to the lowest quartile, PDI, hPDI, and uPDI in the highest quartile were associated with a 13% decrease, a 15% decrease, and a 14% increase in risk of incident CRC, respectively. We found a joint association of genetic risk and PDIs with incident CRC, with the highest hazard observed in those carrying higher PRS and adhering to lower-quality PDIs. The inverse association of PDI and hPDI with CRC mortality was pronounced in males.ConclusionsOur results suggested that better adherence to overall and healthful plant-based diets was associated with a lower risk of CRC, whereas an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with a higher CRC risk. Consumption of a higher-quality plant-based diet combined with decreased genetic risk conferred less susceptibility to CRC. Our findings highlighted the importance of food quality when adhering to a plant-based dietary pattern for CRC prevention in the general population.

Plant-based dietary pattern and low muscle mass: a nation-wide cohort analysis of Chinese older adults

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether plant-based or animal-based dietary patterns are more beneficial for older adults more in maintaining muscle mass. Using a prospective cohort with nationwide sample of China older adults in this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between adhering to plant-based diet patterns or animal-based diet patterns and muscle loss.MethodsWe included 2771 older adults (≥ 65 years) from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) with normal muscle mass at baseline (2011 and 2014 waves), which followed up into 2018. Plant-based dietary pattern scores and preference subgroups were constructed using 16 common animal-based and plant-based food frequencies. We used the corrected appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) prediction formula to assess muscle mass. We applied the Cox proportional hazard risk regression to explore associations between dietary patterns and low muscle mass (LMM).ResultsDuring a mean of 4.1 years follow-up, 234 (8.4%) participants with normal muscle mass at baseline showed LMM. The plant-based dietary pattern reduced the risk of LMM by 5% (Hazard Ratios [HR]: 0.95, 95% confidence intervals [95%CI]: 0.92–0.97). In addition, a high plant-based food company with a high animal-based food intake pattern reduced the risk of LMM by 60% (HR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.240–0.661) and 73% (HR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11–0.61) in the BADL disability and IADL disability population compared with a low plant-based food and high animal-based food intake, whereas a high plant-based food and low animal-based food intake was more beneficial in reducing the risk of LMM in the normal BADL functioning (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35–0.90) and IADL functioning (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28–0.91) population.ConclusionsWhen it comes to maintaining muscle mass in older Chinese people with functional independence, a plant-based diet pattern is more beneficial and effective than the animal-based one. People with functional dependence may profit from a combination of plant-based and animal-based diets to minimize muscle loss.