Research
Mixed
Emphasizing healthy plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes) strengthens the inverse association with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer compared to overall plant-based patterns.
When following a plant-based diet, prioritize whole, unprocessed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. This approach offers greater protection against chronic diseases than plant-based diets high in refined carbohydrates.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
The inverse associations with T2D, CVD and cancer were strengthened when healthy plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, were emphasized in the definition of plant-based dietary patterns (T2D: 0.79 [0.72–0.87]; CVD: 0.85 [0.80–0.92]; cancer: 0.86 [0.80–0.92])
Why this rating
Subgroup analysis of the same large meta-analysis.
Source
Associations between plant-based dietary patterns and risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality – a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yeli Wang et al. · Nutrition Journal · 2023
Meta-analysis · 76 studiesCited 171×
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