Research

Mixed

Adherence to a healthful plant-based diet (high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes; low in refined grains, sugary drinks, sweets, and animal products) is associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

To lower your risk of death, heart disease, and cancer, focus on a diet rich in whole plant foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Minimize refined grains, sugary drinks, sweets, and animal products. You don't need to track complex scores; just prioritize these healthy plant foods and limit the less healthy ones.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Greater adherence to the hPDI was associated with lower risks of total mortality, cancer, and CVD, with HRs (95% CIs) of 0.84 (0.78-0.91), 0.93 (0.88-0.99), and 0.92 (0.86-0.99), respectively, for participants in the highest hPDI quartile compared with the lowest.
Alysha S. Thompson et al. · JAMA Network Open · 2023

Why this rating

Large prospective cohort study (UK Biobank, n=126,394) with long follow-up (10.6-12.2 years) and rigorous adjustment for confounders, though observational design limits causal inference.

Source

Association of Healthful Plant-based Diet Adherence With Risk of Mortality and Major Chronic Diseases Among Adults in the UK

Alysha S. Thompson et al. · JAMA Network Open · 2023

cohort · n=126394Cited 191×
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