Research Reflections: Ep. 2 | Vegan v. Omnivore for Cholesterol
In nutrition research and, especially, in cardiovascular research there is quite a heated debate between vegan and omnivorous diets. In 2023, the headlines looked dramatic and conclusive:
“Twin research indicates that a vegan diet improves cardiovascular health”
In this episode, Dr. Alex Verge and I sit talk about how this particular study doesn’t quite live up to the hype. We also discuss:
What accounts for the weight change and insulin results that were seen
How not maintaining macro composition hindered the findings
Why diversity in the diet was a factor that confused results
The importance of diet satisfaction in long-term health managament
The study we discussed:
Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs. Vegan Diets in Identical Twins
Landry MJ, Ward CP, Cunanan KM, Durand LR, Perelman D, Robinson JL, Hennings T, Koh L, Dant C, Zeitlin A, Ebel ER, Sonnenburg ED, Sonnenburg JL, Gardner CD. Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Nov 1;6(11):e2344457. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.44457. Erratum in: JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Dec 1;6(12):e2350422. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50422. PMID: 38032644; PMCID: PMC10690456.
More on cardiovascular health:
