Association between Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

Plant-based diets, characterized by a higher consumption of plant foods and a lower consumption of animal foods, are associated with a favorable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but evidence regarding the association between plant-based diets and CVD (including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke) incidence remain inconclusive. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases through December 2020 to identify prospective observational studies that examined the associations between plant-based diets and CVD incidence among adults. A systematic review and a meta-analysis using random effects models and dose-response analyses were performed. Ten studies describing nine unique cohorts were identified with a total of 698,707 participants (including 137,968 CVD, 41,162 CHD and 13,370 stroke events). Compared with the lowest adherence, the highest adherence to plant-based diets was associated with a lower risk of CVD (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.79-0.89) and CHD (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.81-0.94), but not of stroke (RR 0.87; 95% CI 0.73-1.03). Higher overall plant-based diet index (PDI) and healthful PDI scores were associated with a reduced CVD risk. These results support the claim that diets lower in animal foods and unhealthy plant foods, and higher in healthy plant foods are beneficial for CVD prevention. Protocol was published in PROSPERO (No. CRD42021223188).

Automated summary

Plant-based diets with higher adherence are associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. However, the association with stroke risk remains inconclusive. Higher plant-based diet index and healthful PDI scores are related to reduced cardiovascular disease risk.