Is There a Correlation between Plant Versus Animal Diets and Mortality?
Although there is ample evidence to suggest that a plant-based diet provides for healthier outcomes than does an animal-based diet, is it really so cut and dried? A major problem with the simplistic view that plant-based diets are healthier than animal-based diets is the fact that not all plant diets and nor all animal diets exert the same benefits or harm given that there are differences the various nutrient compositions of these different diets.
I recently reviewed several studies that examined the benefits, or lack thereof, of plant-based versus animal based diets, especially as it relates to the protein compositions of these two different diets:
PLANT VERSUS ANIMAL PROTEIN: IS IT COMPOSITION OR TOTAL PROTEIN THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
PLANT VERSUS ANIMAL DIET: IS ONE HEALTHIER THAN THE OTHER
A recent cohort study published in the British Journal of Nutrition has also looked at the question of which diet is better and specifically looked at mortality as the measurable factor in US adults:
Plant- and animal-based diet quality and mortality among US adults: a cohort study
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the quality of plant-based foods, animal foods or both is associated with mortality. This was accomplished by using the Comprehensive Dietary Quality Index (cDQI), a measure that distinguishes the quality of both plant-based and animal foods. The cDQI has seventeen components, including eleven plant-based foods and six animal foods.
The primary outcome for this study was mortality from all causes with the secondary outcome being mortality from heart disease and cancer. Numerous factors were taken into consideration that included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, alcohol intake, body weight and height, physical activity, and smoking.
There is a large amount of data in this study given that numerous factors were considered in this cohort study. However, it was found that for adults in the US the consumption of a high-quality plant-based foods diet was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Probably most striking was the finding that the association between the consumption of high-quality plant-based foods and all-cause mortality was observed among individuals with co-morbidity conditions at the outset of the study but was not so among individual without co-morbidity conditions. It is speculated that this is most likely due to those with co-morbidities changing their diets upon recommendations from their health care providers.
In contrast there was no correlation with the consumption of high quality animal foods and lower risks for all-cause mortality suggesting that consumption of a diet consisting of high quality plant foods is a significant factor in health and longevity.
It is important to note, as pointed out by the authors, that Americans fall significantly short in their consumption of several healthy plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while consuming an excess of unhealthy plant-based foods such as those high in added sugars.
I recently reviewed several studies that examined the benefits, or lack thereof, of plant-based versus animal based diets, especially as it relates to the protein compositions of these two different diets:
PLANT VERSUS ANIMAL PROTEIN: IS IT COMPOSITION OR TOTAL PROTEIN THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
PLANT VERSUS ANIMAL DIET: IS ONE HEALTHIER THAN THE OTHER
A recent cohort study published in the British Journal of Nutrition has also looked at the question of which diet is better and specifically looked at mortality as the measurable factor in US adults:
Plant- and animal-based diet quality and mortality among US adults: a cohort study
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the quality of plant-based foods, animal foods or both is associated with mortality. This was accomplished by using the Comprehensive Dietary Quality Index (cDQI), a measure that distinguishes the quality of both plant-based and animal foods. The cDQI has seventeen components, including eleven plant-based foods and six animal foods.
The primary outcome for this study was mortality from all causes with the secondary outcome being mortality from heart disease and cancer. Numerous factors were taken into consideration that included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, alcohol intake, body weight and height, physical activity, and smoking.
There is a large amount of data in this study given that numerous factors were considered in this cohort study. However, it was found that for adults in the US the consumption of a high-quality plant-based foods diet was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Probably most striking was the finding that the association between the consumption of high-quality plant-based foods and all-cause mortality was observed among individuals with co-morbidity conditions at the outset of the study but was not so among individual without co-morbidity conditions. It is speculated that this is most likely due to those with co-morbidities changing their diets upon recommendations from their health care providers.
In contrast there was no correlation with the consumption of high quality animal foods and lower risks for all-cause mortality suggesting that consumption of a diet consisting of high quality plant foods is a significant factor in health and longevity.
It is important to note, as pointed out by the authors, that Americans fall significantly short in their consumption of several healthy plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while consuming an excess of unhealthy plant-based foods such as those high in added sugars.
TAKE AWAY: This is another study, and a highly comprehensive one at that, demonstrating that one can attain and maintain a healthy life with increased consumption of high quality plant-based food and decreased consumption of animal-based foods, even those considered high quality.
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