Healthier or not? A closer look at the quality of plant-based diets
Not all plant-based diets are equal and few studies have distinguished between healthy and unhealthy diets. The health and nutritional status of vegan and vegetarian children and adolescents is even more controversial and data is scarce.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Health Professions
- Institute(s) Nutrition and Dietetics
- Strategic thematic field Thematic field "Sustainable Development"
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration (planned) 01.06.2022 - 31.05.2025
- Head of project Prof. Dr. Leonie-Helen Bogl
-
Project staff
Prof. Dr. Klazine Van der Horst
Natalie Sara Bez
Prof. Lauren Lissner -
Partner
ETH Zürich
University of Gothenburg - Keywords plant-based diets, veganism, vegeterianism, diet quality score, dietary patterns
Situation
Plant-based diets have gained increasing popularity in recent years. This strong global trend has led to a debate among international experts about the potential health benefits and risks of such diets, particularly the safety of vegan diets. The health and nutritional status of vegan and vegetarian children and adolescents is even more controversial and data on vegan children is scarce. While vegetarians typically only exclude meat, fish, and poultry, vegans abstain from all animal products. The more restrictive a diet, the higher the risk of nutritional deficiencies. Previous studies on vegans have not considered diet quality but rather analyzed vegans as one homogenous group, comparing their nutrition and health status with those of vegetarians and Plant-based diets have gained increasing popularity in recent years. This strong global trend has led to a debate among international experts about the potential health benefits and risks of such diets, particularly the safety of vegan diets. The health and nutritional status of vegan and vegetarian children and adolescents is even more controversial and data on vegan children is scarce.
Course of action
We will examine plant-based diet patterns in relation to health status by a) calculating a continuous index indicating the adherence to plant-based dietary patterns in all participating children and adults. b) comparing vegan, vegetarian and pescatarians with omnivore children and adults.
Result
Data from almost 16,000 people from eight European countries, including children, adolescents and adults, was analysed. This study shows that a plant-based diet is not automatically healthy. People who mainly eat highly processed plant-based foods (e.g. white bread, sweets) do not benefit their health. Only a balanced plant-based diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholemeal products brings benefits - e.g. better cholesterol levels and healthier bones.
