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Consuming More Plant Than Animal Protein Cuts Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 5, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2024 -- A higher plant-to-animal protein (P:A) ratio is associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online Dec. 2 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Andrea J. Glenn, from New York University in New York City, and colleagues evaluated associations between the P:A ratio and incident CVD, coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke. The analysis included data from 70,918 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS; 1984 to 2016), 89,205 women in the NHSII (1991 to 2017), and 42,740 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986 to 2016).

The researchers found that during 30 years of follow-up, participants had a lower risk for total CVD (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.76 to 0.87; P trend < 0.001) and CAD (HR, 0.73; 95 percent CI, 0.67 to 0.79; P trend < 0.001) when comparing highest to lowest deciles of the P:A ratio (ratio: ~0.76 versus ~0.24). However, there was no association for stroke (HR, 0.98; 95 percent CI, 0.88 to 1.09; P trend = 0.71). There were both linear and nonlinear relationships for CVD and CAD, with more marked risk reductions early in the dose-response curve. With higher ratios and protein density (20.8 percent energy) combined, lower risks for CVD (HR, 0.72; 95 percent CI, 0.64 to 0.82) and CAD (HR, 0.64; 95 percent CI, 0.55 to 0.75) were seen. Replacing red and processed meat with several plant protein sources showed the greatest cardiovascular benefit.

"The findings also indicate that a ratio of ≥0.5 should be considered for CVD risk reduction, although this ratio may be higher for CAD prevention (≥0.76), and that plant protein consumption combined with higher protein density may provide additional cardiovascular benefit," the authors write.

One of the authors disclosed ties to the food and nutrition industry.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted December 2024

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