Cassidy Owens

HORT 1013

Plant-based diets and heart disease: What is the link?

Article Review #1
 The article I chose for my first review was pulled from a web-based medical information

outlet called Medical News Today. The article is titled “Plant-based diets and heart disease: What

is the link?” The author of this article, Erika Watts, discusses the findings of two new

observational studies in which participants were followed for more than a decade to track health

and food choices.

The first study, which was comprised of almost 5,000 young adults, is titled “Plant-

centered diet and risk of incident cardiovascular disease during young to middle adulthood” and

was posted in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study began when the

participants were 18-30 years old and lasted for 32 years. Doctors would evaluate the

participants’ health over the years during checkups by using a diet quality score. By the time the

study concluded, it was found that nearly 300 of the participants developed cardiovascular

disease. After adjusting various demographic factors, researchers “found that people with the

most plant-based diets and a higher diet quality score were 52% less likely to develop heart

issues than those following the least plant-based diets” (Watts).

The second study, which was also featured in the Journal of the American Heart

Association, is called “Relationship between a plant-based dietary portfolio and risk of

cardiovascular disease: Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative prospective cohort study.”

From 1993 to 1998, postmenopausal women who were aged 50-79 enrolled in the study. The

researchers were interested in if cardiovascular issues were least likely to develop in participants

who followed the Portfolio diet. The Portfolio diet is a vegan diet that is meant to lower

cholesterol. Simply put, the diet focuses on four key ingredients: soy protein, plant sterols, tree

nuts, and soluble fiber. By the conclusion of the study in 2017, it was found that the participants

who followed the Portfolio diet more closely were significantly less likely to develop
cardiovascular issues. Watts writes, “It is also important to note that over 80% of the Women’s

Health Initiative participants are white, over 60% have a college education or above, and more

than 60% are married.”

Both studies discussed in this article strongly indicate that a plant-based diet can help

support heart health. I chose this article specifically because I have recently been cutting out

meat from my diet, and I am interested in learning about the health benefits of a plant-based diet.

This article convinced me further that being on a plant-based diet is ideal for myself. I would

eventually like to go vegan, but it can be a challenge when you’re always on the go. One thing

that bothered me was the lack of diversity in the second study. That makes it much more difficult

to generalize the findings. Nonetheless, I felt that the article was well written and educational.
Watts, Erika. “Plant-based diets and heart disease: What is the link?” Medical News Today.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/more-evidence-that-a-plant-based-diet-

protects-heart-health. 9/1/2021.