Could a plant-based diet prevent chronic diseases in women?

Plant-based diets have been linked to numerous health benefits, from reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes to weight loss. Today, this relatively new way of eating is associated with the prevention of chronic diseases in women.

Could a plant-based diet protect against chronic diseases in women?​

A new study, led by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University, found that women who consume greater amounts of plant protein are less likely to develop chronic diseases and maintain better health for a long time. a more advanced age.

The findings are from the Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study, which followed 48,762 healthcare professionals from 1984 to 2016. The women were aged 38 to 59 at the start of the study and were considered to be in good physical and mental health. mental health, with no history of any of the 11 chronic diseases that make up the healthy aging phenotype.

Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at HNRCA and lead author of the study, and his team looked at thousands of surveys collected from women every four years. They looked at how often people ate certain types of foods, to identify dietary proteins and their effects on healthy aging.

The researchers then compared the diets of women who did not develop certain chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer, with those who did. It was found that women who consumed more plant-based protein were 46% more likely to be healthy into their later years. In contrast, those who consumed more animal-based protein were 6% less likely to remain healthy as they aged.

“Those who consumed greater amounts of animal protein tended to suffer more from chronic diseases and failed to achieve the improvement in physical functions that we normally associate with protein consumption,” says Ardisson Korat.

Which is better, animal proteins or vegetable proteins?​

The results showed that animal protein was loosely linked to maintaining good physical health in old age, but plant protein had a strong correlation with good physical health later in life and was further closely linked to good mental health.

Higher consumption of plant proteins was also linked to heart health, as they contain lower levels of LDL cholesterol, which is linked to high blood pressure. This contrasts with the consumption of animal-based proteins, which is linked to higher levels of LDL cholesterol.

“Protein consumption in midlife was linked to promoting good health in older adults,” Ardisson Korat said. “We also found that the source of protein is important. Getting the majority of your protein from plant sources in midlife, along with a small amount of animal protein, appears to be conducive to good health and survival into old age.

“It’s encouraging to see more attention paid to the benefits of plant-based eating, and I hope this research helps inform future dietary guidelines,” added Kathy La Macchia of the Grains & Vegetables Nutrition Council.

The study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that plant-based foods are beneficial for heart health, mental health and overall longevity. However, he acknowledges that the benefits of plant-based foods could also be attributed to the nutrients they contain, including dietary fiber, micronutrients and polyphenols. Additional research will be needed to fully understand the positive link between a plant-based diet and women’s health.

How to enjoy a plant-based diet​

Eating a plant-based diet might previously have been considered boring and tasteless, conjuring up the image of a plate filled only with lettuce leaves, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Plant-based diets offer a wealth of variety and color, with nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables being excellent sources of plant-based nutrients and protein.

Additionally, more and more companies are producing plant-based alternatives to meat, such as meat-free burgers, sausages and ham.

As the NHS says: “With good planning and an understanding of what constitutes a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs. »

Women’s health is finally being scrutinized​

Women’s health has long been secondary to men’s, with research, funding and especially clinical trials focused on the male biological response.

“Research on women’s health has been underfunded for decades, and many conditions that primarily or only affect women, or that affect women differently, have received little or no attention,” explained US First Lady Jill Biden during the announcement of a new White House initiative on women’s health. women’s health research on November 13, 2023.

Times are changing and women’s health is getting the attention it deserves. It is therefore likely that we will see many more studies like this, seeking to understand the impact of different environmental factors on women’s health.

Source: Dietary Protein Intake at Midlife in Relation to Healthy Aging – Results from the Nurses’ Health Study Prospective Cohort
Online: January 17, 2024
DOI: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523662823?via%3Dihub​
Authors: Andres V Ardisson Korat, M Kyla Shea, Paul F Jacques, Paola Sebastiani, Molin Wang, A Heather Eliassen, Walter C Willett, Qi Sun