A new literature review highlights the benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the United States.
The study findings, supported by first author, Matthew Landry, PhD, RDN, assistant professor of population health & disease prevention at UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, are published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Conducted by registered dietitians and nutrition scientists from several institutions , the study used an umbrella method by pulling 21 systematic reviews, which are studies that aggregate large amounts of publications on a certain topic, published between 2018 and March 2024, comparing CVD health outcomes and risk factors among healthy adults who follow a vegetarian, vegan, or non-vegetarian diet.
“We now have an abundance of studies that have examined vegetarian dietary patterns that we’re doing reviews of reviews to systematically examine the research and contribute to evidence-based clinical practice” says Landry.
This study underscores the importance of dietary patterns in reducing cardiovascular disease risk and highlights the potential of plant-based diets in clinical practice.”
– Matthew Landy, PhD, RDN
The study found that those who followed vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns saw a 15% relative risk reduction in CVD incidence. The hazard ratio, which is a statistical rate of an event, like CVD mortality, occurring in one group compared to another, is reduced by 8% among individuals on vegetarian/vegan diet. Lastly, following a vegan diet was associated with significantly lower blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, body mass index, and inflammatory markers, which are all key risk factors for CVD.
“Our findings suggest that general health practitioners can recommend vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns to those patients who are at high risk for heart attacks or have poor heart health” says Landry. “This study underscores the importance of dietary patterns in reducing cardiovascular disease risk and highlights the potential of plant-based diets in clinical practice.”
Additional authors include Katelyn E. Senkus from the University of Alabama & Baylor College of Medicine; A Reed Mangels; Nanci S. Guest from University of Toronto; Roman Pawlak from East Carolina University; Sudha Raj from Syracuse University; and Mary Rozga and Deepa Handu from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
This systematic review was supported by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.
