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Lacto-Vegetarian Diet Cuts Heart Risk

It is known that vegetarians have lower incidence of risk factors for coronary heart disease including lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lower prevalence of obesity, and healthier lifestyle overall.  It is hypothesized that this reduction in risk factors is due to the consumption of a primarily plant-based diet.  To test this idea, Swedish scientists asked 20 volunteers to switch from their usual omnivorous diet to a lacto-vegetarian diet (no meat, fish or eggs, but dairy is allowed) for a full year. Dietitians offered advice and cooking classes, and researchers took dietary surveys and blood samples at the start and every three months throughout the year. Subjects lost a significant amount of weight and significantly lowered their BMIs; they also significantly lowered their blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol – all risk markers for coronary heart disease
Open Journal of Preventative Medicine. February 2012;2(1):16-22.  [Johansson et al.]

Vegetarians, Vegans and Blood Pressure

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between vegetarian diet and blood pressure in Seventh-day Adventists.  Through food questions administered at clinic in churches across the USA and Canada, researchers from Loma Linda University studied data on 500 white Adventists, including vegasn, lacto-ovo vegetarians, partial vegetarians, and omnivores  The study found that vegetarians, and especially vegans, have lower systolic and diastolic BP and less hypertension than omnivores and that this difference is only partly due to their lower body mass.
Public Health Nutrition. October 2011; 15(10):1909-1916 [Pettersen B et al.]

Vegetarian Diet to Reduce Heart Disease

Heart disease is the primary cause of death in the United States.  The risk factors for heart disease include high BP, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, tobacco use, lack of exercise, and obesity.  Through a review of the literature, scientists at the University of Tennessee evaluated possible links between cardiovascular disease and vegetarian diets.   Research indicates an inverse relationship between fruits, vegetables, and fiber consumption and the risk of heart disease.  Diets low in saturated fat are also associated with decreased risk of heart disease.  Vegetarian diets follow these rules and vegetarians tend to have fewer chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The authors conclude that a well-planned vegetarian diet with adequate supplementation may be effective for primary prevention of heart disease.
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.  March 2010; 22:134-139. ([Stitcher MA et al.]

Health Effects of Vegan Diets

A nationwide poll conducted in 2006 determined that 1.4% of the American population is vegan—they eat no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs.  Scientists at Andrews University in Michigan reviewed existing studies about veganism to assess the pros and cons of adopting such a diet.  Overall, vegans tend to have lower BMI, lower serum cholesterol, and lower blood pressure, decreasing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.  However, because of the elimination of all animal products, vegans are at greater risk of certain nutritional deficiencies such as vitamins B12 and D, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.  It is suggested that vegans consume foods that are fortified with these nutrients or that they take appropriate supplements to prevent deficiencies.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  May 2009; 89:1627s-33s [Craig WJ]

Blood Pressure and Vegetarian Diets

Lifestyle factors, particularly diet, play a major role in blood pressure regulation.  Randomized, controlled studies indicate that plant-based diets are associated with BP reductions in both normal and hypertensive individuals.  According to this literature review by the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine, observational studies show that BP levels tend to be lower in individuals following self-selected vegetarian diets.  These findings strongly suggest that individuals with high blood pressure or at risk for developing high blood pressure may benefit from following plant-based vegetarian diets.  
Nutrition Reviews.  January 2005; 63(1):1-8. [Berkow S et al.]

Vegans have lower prevalence of hypertension

Researchers from Oxford University studied a large cohort of British men and women in the context of diet, lifestyle, and disease risk. They found that hypertension (both systolic and diastolic) is significantly less prevalent among vegan men and women (5.8% and 7.7%, respectively) as compared to omnivorous men and women (15.0% and 12.1%, respectively). The researchers suspect that this is related to the vegan participants’ lower average Body Mass Index.
Public Health Nutrition. 2002 Oct 1;5(5):DOI 10.1079/PHN2002332. (Appleby et al.)

Vegetarian diet pattern related to decreased risk of cancer, heart disease, and death

Research from Loma Linda University on a large cohort of Seventh-Day Adventists suggests that there is a significantly decreased risk of colon and prostate cancers, ischemic heart disease, and all-cause mortality among vegetarians when compared with omnivores. Vegetarians were also found to have lower risks of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis. The author notes, however, that these effects cannot be ascribed only to the absence of meat.  For this reason, further research into individual food groups and nutrients – especially with regard to specific cancers – is needed.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999 Sep 1;70(suppl):532S-8S. (Fraser)

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