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Yen YF, Lai YJ, Hsu LF, Chen LJ, Ku PW, Inan-Eroglu E. Association between vegetarian diet and gouty arthritis: A retrospective cohort study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2023; 33:1923-1931. [PMID: 37482484 DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS A vegetarian diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, and soy products. Although vegetarian diet is beneficial for improving the health outcomes such as body mass index, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and mortality rate, the association between a vegetarian diet and gout incidence is not well known. METHODS AND RESULTS We linked the MJ Health Survey Data and MJ Biodata 2000 with the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and the National Registration of Death (2000-2018). Information on the diet was collected from the MJ Health Survey Data, and the incidence of gouty arthritis was confirmed using the NHIRD. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to compare the differences between vegetarian and non-vegetarian participants. Cox regression models were used to estimate the risk of the incidence of gouty arthritis. Among 76,972 participants, 37,297 (48.46%) were men, 2488 (3.23%) were vegetarians and the mean age was 41.65 ± 14.13 years. The mean baseline uric acid level was 6.14 ± 1.65 mg/dL. A total of 16,897 participants developed gouty arthritis, including 16,447 (22.08%) non-vegetarians and 450 (18.9%) vegetarians over a mean follow-up of 19 years. Significant differences were observed in the Kaplan-Meier survival curves between vegetarians and non-vegetarians (log-rank p < 0.001). Vegetarians had a significantly decreased incidence of gouty arthritis compared with non-vegetarians (hazard ratio = 0.87, 95% confidence interval = 0.78-0.98, p = 0.02) after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSION People with a vegetarian diet had a significantly decreased risk of developing gouty arthritis compared with non-vegetarians in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Feng Yen
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Taipei City Hospital, Yangming Branch, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Health Care Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ju Lai
- Department of Health Care Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Puli Branch of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Nantou, Taiwan; Department of Exercise Health Science, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Li-Fei Hsu
- College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jung Chen
- Department of Exercise Health Science, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wen Ku
- Graduate Institute of Sports and Health Management, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Kinesiology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Elif Inan-Eroglu
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Australia; Department of Molecular Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Germany
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Kwiatkowska I, Olszak J, Formanowicz P, Formanowicz D. Dietary Habits and Lifestyle, Including Cardiovascular Risk among Vegetarians and Omnivores during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Polish Population. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15020442. [PMID: 36678313 PMCID: PMC9863812 DOI: 10.3390/nu15020442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: This study assessed how two food groups—omnivores (OMN) and vegetarians (VEGE)—differ in lifestyle changes, including dietary habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials: A total of 861 persons participated in the survey and were divided into two groups: persons following a mixed diet (n = 489) and vegetarians, including vegans (n = 372). The mean age shows no significant differences. Methods: An online survey was conducted on the Polish population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected using social media; the survey was intended for adults and included separate sheets for different diets (OMN vs. VEGE). Results: The results in both groups were similar regarding the burden of premature diseases. Most respondents (~90%) did not indicate cardiovascular disease abnormalities. In the OMN group, overweight and obesity occurred more often, and the OMN group also showed a higher percentage of people reporting weight gain (OMN 42.7% vs. VEGE 35.9%). The results disclosed the VEGE group significantly more frequently chose products, i.e., vegetables (p = 0.029), legumes (p < 0.001), and dairy products or their plant substitutes (p = 0.002), compared to the OMN group. Conclusions: The VEGE group revealed the most regularities in dietary habits during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Kwiatkowska
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
- Correspondence: (I.K.); (D.F.)
| | - Jakub Olszak
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Formanowicz
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Dorota Formanowicz
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
- Correspondence: (I.K.); (D.F.)
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Global evidence of environmental and lifestyle effects on medical expenditures across 154 countries. Prev Med Rep 2022; 30:102036. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Dressler J, Storz MA, Müller C, Kandil FI, Kessler CS, Michalsen A, Jeitler M. Does a Plant-Based Diet Stand Out for Its Favorable Composition for Heart Health? Dietary Intake Data from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2022; 14:4597. [PMID: 36364858 PMCID: PMC9656677 DOI: 10.3390/nu14214597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
A plant-based diet (PBD) can provide numerous health benefits for patients with cardiovascular risk factors. However, an inadequately planned PBD also bear the potential for deficiencies in certain macro- and micronutrients. The present study analyzed nutrient profiles of individuals who adopted a PBD as part of the CardioVeg study. Participants with cardiovascular risk factors were randomly assigned to either a whole-food PBD intervention (n = 36; eight 90 min group meetings including two 120 min cooking sessions) or a control group asked to maintain an omnivorous diet (n = 34) for eight weeks. Food intake data were collected using three-day weighed food records and analyzed with NutriGuide software, including the German Nutrient Data Base (German: Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel). Nutrient intake was compared before and after eight weeks as well as between the groups. The results for both groups were then contrasted to the current dietary recommendations published by the societies for nutrition in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Moreover, anthropometric/laboratory data and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were determined at baseline and after 8 weeks. Data of a subsample (n = 18 in the PBD group and n = 19 in the control group) were used for the present analyses of the dietary intake data. A PBD yielded several benefits including (but not limited to) a lower energy density, a lower intake of cholesterol and saturated fat, an increased consumption of fiber, and a lower intake of salt. Recommended intakes of most vitamins and minerals were generally met, except for vitamin B12 in the PBD group. A low intake of several other critical nutrients (vitamin D, iodine) was observed in both groups. Compared with the control group, PBD resulted in a significant decrease in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, HbA1c, and fasting blood glucose after 8 weeks. Overall, it can be concluded that a PBD had a more favorable nutrient composition for cardiovascular health than the omnivorous dietary pattern of the control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justina Dressler
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maximilian Andreas Storz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Center for Complementary Medicine, Freiburg University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Müller
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Farid I. Kandil
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian S. Kessler
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Michalsen
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Jeitler
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany
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Health and Sustainability Co-Benefits of Eating Behaviors: Towards a Science of Dietary Eco-Wellness. Prev Med Rep 2022; 28:101878. [PMID: 35832638 PMCID: PMC9272027 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Two of the greatest challenges of our times - climate change and the linked epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease - are fueled in part by the over-consumption of carbon-intensive high calorie foodstuffs. Converging evidence from hundreds of studies has confirmed that transitioning from diets high in meat and dairy to largely plant-based diets not only is necessary for climate change mitigation but will also lead to substantive reductions in morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, there are only the faintest beginnings of a robust science of behavioral eco-wellness, defined here as the study of how individual choices, behaviors, and habits impact both personal health and environmental sustainability. This paper focusses on the sub-field of dietary eco-wellness, which looks at health and sustainability impacts of food production, procurement, preparation, and consumption. To advance this crucial agenda, investigators will need to invent, develop, and assess approaches aimed at helping people transition towards healthier and more sustainable diets. In order to accurately and reliably assess appropriate outcomes, existing assessment methods will need to be refined, new techniques will need to be advanced, and all measurement methods will need to be validated. Local conditions will influence the effectiveness of various approaches, and so it is important that scientists and communities share their stories of success and challenge for others to learn from. This paper reviews emerging evidence from relevant studies in dozens of countries, suggesting next steps, potential pathways, and a framework for interpretation.
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Dietary Plant and Animal Protein Sources Oppositely Modulate Fecal Bilophila and Lachnoclostridium in Vegetarians and Omnivores. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0204721. [PMID: 35285706 PMCID: PMC9045121 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02047-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The food we eat not only nourishes our bodies but also provides nutrients to the bacteria living in our guts. Gut bacterial communities are known to be affected by many factors, including diet and bowel cleansing, but the impacts of vegetarian and omnivore diets on fecal bacterial composition are still uncertain. In this study, we analyzed the bacterial compositions of fecal samples from vegetarians and omnivores 5 to 7 days after bowel cleansing, and we correlated specific dietary constituents with the relative abundances of specialized fecal bacteria. A total of 46 participants (23 vegetarians and 23 omnivores) were recruited. All participants underwent standard bowel cleansing before colonoscopy screening. Fecal samples were collected from each participant 5 to 7 days after bowel cleansing, and the fecal microbiota compositions were analyzed with next-generation sequencing. Sixteen participants also provided an image-based dietary record for nutritional assessment. No major differences between dietary groups were observed in terms of fecal bacterial richness, alpha diversity, or beta diversity. A minority of potential pathobionts tended to be elevated in omnivores compared to vegetarians, whereas potential probiotic species tended to be higher in the vegetarians. Detailed dietary assessments further revealed that the plant- and animal-derived proteins may oppositely modulate the relative abundances of pathobionts Bilophila and Lachnoclostridium. However, these results were not statistically significant after multiple-comparison correction. These results suggest that specialized probiotic and pathobiont microbiota constituents are sensitive to the plant- or animal-derived dietary components ingested by vegetarians and omnivores after bowel cleansing. IMPORTANCE Dietary pattern and food choice are associated with expansion of gut pathobionts and risk for metabolic and colonic disease. However, the effects of dietary interventions on intestinal microbiota remain unclear. After bowel cleansing, potential pathobionts and probiotic bacteria were increased in omnivores and vegetarians, respectively. The pathobionts Bilophila and Lachnoclostridium were oppositely modulated by dietary animal and plant protein. From a clinical perspective, fecal pathobionts that may indicate risk for metabolic and colonic disease can potentially be modulated with dietary interventions.
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Abstract
The world is experiencing a cataclysmically increasing burden from chronic illnesses. Chronic diseases are on the advance worldwide and treatment strategies to counter this development are dominated by symptom control and polypharmacy. Thus, chronic conditions are often considered irreversible, implying a slow progression of disease that can only be hampered but not stopped. The current plant-based movement is attempting to alter this way of thinking. Applying a nutrition-first approach, the ultimate goal is either disease remission or reversal. Hereby, ethical questions arise as to whether physicians' current understanding of chronic illness is outdated and morally reprehensible. In this case, physicians may need to recommend plant-based diets to every patient suffering from chronic conditions, while determining what other socioecological factors and environmental aspects play a role in the chronic disease process. This article provides insights to aspects of diet and chronic illness and discusses how the plant-based movement could redefine current understanding of chronic disease. The ethical justifications for recommending of a plant-based diet are analyzed. The article concludes that not advocating for plant-based nutrition is unethical and harms the planet and patients alike.
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Chen YC, Chang CC, Chiu THT, Lin MN, Lin CL. The risk of urinary tract infection in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: a prospective study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:906. [PMID: 32001729 PMCID: PMC6992707 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is caused principally by ascending Escherichia coli infection via an intestine-stool-urethra route. Recent studies found that the strains of E. coli causing UTIs, called extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), were distinct from the intestinal pathogenic strains and normal commensal strains. Further analysis found the meat including poultry and pork is the major reservoir for ExPECs. Vegetarians avoid meat and should theoretically have less exposure to ExPEC. However, no study thus far has examined whether vegetarian diets reduce the risk of UTI. Our aim was to examine the association between vegetarian diet and UTI risk in a Taiwanese Buddhist population. We prospectively followed 9724 Buddhists free of UTI from 2005 to 2014. During the 10-year follow-up, 661 incident UTI cases were confirmed. Diet was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire. Cox regression was used to evaluate the prospective association between a vegetarian diet on risk of UTI while adjusting for age, sex, educational level, alcohol-drinking, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and disease conditions predisposing to UTIs. Overall, vegetarian diet was associated with 16% lower hazards (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71-0.99). In subgroup analysis, the protective association between vegetarian diet and UTI is observed mainly in the female (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69-0.99), never smokers (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67-0.95), and for uncomplicated UTI (HR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.98).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Chang Chen
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chen Chang
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Tina H T Chiu
- Department of Nutritional Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Nan Lin
- Department of Family Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Lon Lin
- Department of Cardiology, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
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