Nutritional Update For Physicians: Plant-Based Diets

This piece explores whole foods plant-based (or vegan) diets. The article’s authors (all medical doctors) advocate that their fellow physicians consider recommending such diets to all their patients. The authors explore the merits of a whole foods plant-based diet by presenting a case study and reviewing the literature on the diet’s health benefits in the areas of blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, mortality, and obesity. They also discuss ways to ensure the consumption of a healthful animal-free diet.

“The objective of this article is to present to physicians an update on plant-based diets. Concerns about the rising cost of health care are being voiced nationwide, even as unhealthy lifestyles are contributing to the spread of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. For these reasons, physicians looking for cost-effective interventions to improve health outcomes are becoming more involved in helping their patients adopt healthier lifestyles. Healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based diet, which we define as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods and discourages meats, dairy products, and eggs as well as all refined and processed foods. We present a case study as an example of the potential health benefits of such a diet. Research shows that plant-based diets are cost-effective, low-risk interventions that may lower body mass index, blood pressure, HbA1C, and cholesterol levels. They may also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic diseases and lower ischemic heart disease mortality rates. Physicians should consider recommending a plant-based diet to all their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity.”