Healthy plant-based diets lower risk for mortality, major chronic conditions

By Ashley Seeberger

​A recent article published on Healio online publication, an article headline of "Healthy plant-based diets lower risks for mortality, major chronic conditions" grabs the attention of the scrolling reader.

The article relays information from a journal article published by Journal of the American Medical Association that evaluated the chronic disease and mortality risk in a cohort study which included 126,000 subjects of both genders with an average age of 56.  The article did accurately report the findings; however, it is not necessarily new information.  In the article, it touches on a primarily plant-based diet doesn't necessarily mean only plant items, but that the diets are typically less processed, and lower in sodium and sugar, which we already know reduces the risk for chronic illnesses and mortality.

The intended audience for this article would be assumed for middle-aged adults who are looking to reduce risks for chronic disease, or those who may have been diagnosed with a chronic illness and looking to improve their quality of life.  The writing lacked a little luster, so I would consider this a dull article and it's not incredibly helpful on directing the reader toward what they should be eating.  Not everyone knows exactly what "plant-based" means, much less the food options that are included in the category so while this article does a great job explaining the research, it doesn't help the reader learn about how to reduce their risks.  They depicted the information responsibly, but did not do their due diligence with helping the reader, which should be the ultimate goal for nutrition communication.

If you are looking to reduce your risk for major chronic conditions, it doesn't take anything fancy!  One can assume a plant-based diet is pretty hefty in fruits and vegetables, but one doesn't have to be "plant-based" to follow that guideline! Here is my simplified go to list for improving your diet without stress!

• Eat more lean meats than not (chicken breast, 90/10 ground beef or turkey, pork loin, fish, etc)
• Eat more fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned - they all count!)
• Eat more fiber (whole grains, nuts, legumes, vegetables, fruits - all sources of fiber!)
• Drink more water (less soda, alcohol, etc)
• Move your body (even if you only do 15 minutes of movement a day, it's 15 minutes more than you've been doing!)

If you would like more personalized guidance, feel free to contact Bryant Nutrition for a consultation.  It may be covered by insurance, which we can find out for you!

Journal: 
Thompson AS, Tresserra-Rimbau A, Karavasiloglou N, et al. Association of healthful plant-
        based diet adherence with risk of mortality and major chronic diseases among adults in the
        UK. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(3). doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.4714
Article:
Person, Bascom E, Bascom is an Online Content Editor for Healio Primary Care. Since graduating top of
     her class at the University of Kansas (KU) in May 2021 she has worked as a tutor. Healthy plant-
     based diets lower risks for mortality, major chronic
     conditions.Healio. https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20230328/healthy-plantbased
     diets-lower-risks-for-mortality-major-chronic-conditions. Published March 28, 2023. Accessed April
     23, 2023.