Vegetarian and Mediterranean Diets Protect the Heart Differently
Florence – In what is presumably the first randomized comparative study, an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet and a traditional Mediterranean diet reduced body weight to a comparable extent in individuals with an increased cardiovascular risk. However, according to the publication in Circulation (2018; doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030088), the effects on risk parameters differed.
Diet has a significant influence on cardiovascular health. The traditional Mediterranean diet is considered particularly beneficial, having first been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and also cancer in the “Seven Countries Study” of the 1950s and 1960s, a finding later confirmed by observational studies.
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high consumption of plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, bread, other grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Fish and seafood are an important component of main meals, while red meat and poultry are consumed less frequently. Olive oil is the main source of fats. Dairy products (especially cheese and yogurt) are consumed in moderation.
Vegetarians completely abstain from meat and processed meat products of all kinds. Seafood and fish are also excluded from their diet. However, the majority of vegetarians consume eggs and milk (ovo-lacto vegetarians). This diet, which has become popular in Western countries in recent years, has recently been associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases in case studies and prospective cohort studies.
The CARDIVEG study was the first to directly compare the effects of both diets on cardiovascular risk parameters. The study involved 118 healthy Italians with an average age of 51.1 years, who presented with at least one of the following cardiovascular risk factors: BMI over 25 kg/m2, waist circumference over 88 cm (women) or 102 cm (men), total cholesterol over 190 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol over 115 mg/dl, triglycerides over 150 mg/dl, blood pressure values over 130/85 mmHg.
Participants were randomly assigned for three months to either a low-calorie ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet or a low-calorie Mediterranean diet. After three months, participants switched diets.
According to the team led by Francesco Sofi from the University of Florence, participants lost approximately the same amount of weight on both diets. On the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet, body weight decreased by an average of 1.88 kg, while on the Mediterranean diet, participants lost an average of 1.77 kg. The results were also similar regarding Body Mass Index and fat mass.
However, there were greater differences in laboratory parameters. The ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet led to a greater decrease in LDL cholesterol (difference 9.10 mg/dl), whereas the Mediterranean diet showed more improvement in triglycerides (difference 12.70 mg/dl).
Regarding oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cytokines, whose significance for cardiovascular risk is less established, there were hardly any differences, with the exception of Interleukin-17, which only improved with the Mediterranean diet.
Ultimately, both diets are equally healthy, says Sofia. A low-calorie lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet can presumably prevent cardiovascular diseases just as effectively as a low-calorie Mediterranean diet. Cheryl Anderson from the University of California in San Diego also agrees with this. The editorialist points out the significant similarities between the two diets. Both follow a healthy eating pattern with a high intake of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Both diets are diverse in composition, rich in healthy nutrients, and limit energy intake from saturated fats. © rme/aerzteblatt.de