Dietary intakes and cardiovascular health of healthy adults in short-, medium-, and long-term whole-food plant-based lifestyle program

Jakše, Boštjan (author), Jakše, Barbara (author), Pinter, Stanislav (author), Jug, Borut (author), Godnov, Uroš (author), Pajek, Jernej (author), Fidler Mis, Nataša (author)

An effective lifestyle strategy to reduce cardiovascular diseases risk (CVD) factors is needed. We examined the effects of a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle program on dietary intake and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in 151 adults (mean 39.6 (SD 12.5) years). Adherence was categorised into short-, medium- and long-term (years: (0.5–<2), (2–<5) and (5–10)), for both genders separately. Dietary intakes were assessed, fasting blood lipids and blood pressure (BP) were measured, and % participants reaching guideline recommended targets for LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and BP in the primary CVD prevention was assessed. There were no statistically significant differences in intakes of energy and most nutrients among participants (both genders), that were short-, medium- and long term in our program. Diet was mainly composed of unprocessed vegetables/fruits, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, and nuts/seeds. LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic BP were within targets for: 93%, 97%, 88% and 95% participants, respectively. In females (vs. males), total- and HDL-cholesterol were higher (mean): 3.8 (SD 0.7) vs. 3.4 (SD 0.9), p = 0.002 and 1.5 (SD 0.3) vs. 1.1 (SD 0.2) mmol/L, p < 0.001), systolic BP was lower (113 (SD 11) vs. 120 (SD 10) mmHg, p = 0.001), while there was no difference in diastolic BP (71 (SD 9) vs. 72 (SD 8) mmHg, p = 0.143). More females vs. males reached target triglycerides (99% vs. 91%, p = 0.021) and systolic BP (92% vs. 79%, p = 0.046), while similar females and males reached target LDL-cholesterol (94% vs. 91%, p = 0.500) and diastolic BP (93% vs. 100%, p = 0.107). Participation in our WFPB lifestyle program is associated with favourable dietary intakes, safety markers, and CV risk factor profiles.

• Language: English
• Keywords: nutrition, plant-based diet, vegan diet, lifestyle, cardiovascular health, blood lipids, blood pressure
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty; FŠ - Faculty of Sport; MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 27 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, iss. 1, art. 55
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133288
• UDC: 613.2:611.1
• ISSN on article: 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12010055
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5641649
• Publication date in RUL: 19.11.2021

JAKŠE, Boštjan, JAKŠE, Barbara, PINTER, Stanislav, JUG, Borut, GODNOV, Uroš, PAJEK, Jernej and FIDLER MIS, Nataša, 2020, Dietary intakes and cardiovascular health of healthy adults in short-, medium-, and long-term whole-food plant-based lifestyle program. Nutrients [online]. 2020. Vol. 12, no. 1,  55. [Accessed 19 July 2025]. DOI 10.3390/nu12010055. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=133288

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Nutrients
• Shortened title: Nutrients
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-6643
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2948140

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 01.01.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prehrana, prehranjevanje, dietetika, vegetarijanska dieta, veganska dieta, življenjski stil, kardiovaskularni sistem, srčnožilni sistem, krvni pritisk

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P3-0395
• Name: Prehrana in javno zdravje

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: Barbara Jakše, sole proprietor