Plant-Based Diets in Disease Management: Investigating the Potential Benefits and Risks of Vegan and other Plant-Based Diets as Part of Holistic Disease Management Strategies

Abstract

Background: Plant-based diets are increasingly being recognized for their role in disease management. Recent research has focused on evaluating the health benefits and potential risks associated with vegan and more inclusive plant-based diets, which include limited animal products.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a strictly vegan diet compared to a more flexible plant-based diet with occasional animal products on various health markers over a six-month period.

Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 64 participants were assigned to either a vegan group (Group 1) or a more plant-based group with limited animal products (Group 2), each containing 32 participants. Dietary adherence was assessed biweekly via 24-hour dietary recalls. Health outcomes measured included BMI, blood lipid profiles, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and chi-square tests for categorical variables.

Results: After six months, Group 2 showed greater improvements in health metrics compared to Group 1. Group 2's BMI decreased from 23.1 ± 2.0 to 21.8 ± 1.7, LDL cholesterol from 115 ± 10 mg/dL to 95 ± 11 mg/dL, and HDL cholesterol increased from 40 ± 4 mg/dL to 50 ± 5 mg/dL. Group 1 also showed improvements, though to a lesser extent, with BMI reducing from 22.4 ± 1.8 to 21.9 ± 1.6 and LDL cholesterol from 110 ± 15 mg/dL to 104 ± 12 mg/dL.

Conclusion: The inclusion of limited animal products in a plant-based diet was associated with more significant improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health markers than a strictly vegan diet. These findings suggest that a more flexible plant-based diet may offer an optimal balance of benefits for disease management.