A plant-based diet was inversely associated with the risk of CVD and CHD, with a healthful plant-based diet showing an inverse association and an unhealthful plant-based diet showing a positive association with cardiovascular disease risk.
Highest adherence to an overall plant-based diet was associated with a 10% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to lowest adherence.
Adherence to a healthful plant-based diet (hPBD) was inversely associated with CVD risk.
Adherence to an unhealthful plant-based diet (uPBD) was positively associated with CVD risk.
High compliance with an overall plant-based diet was associated with a 9% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
High compliance with a healthful plant-based diet was associated with a 23% lower risk of CHD development.
High compliance with an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with a 24% higher risk of CHD compared to low compliance.
No significant association was found between plant-based diet adherence and stroke risk.
This research suggests that people who eat more plant-based diets tend to have a meaningfully lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. Analyzing data from nearly 847,000 people across 19 long-term studies, the researchers found that those most closely following a plant-based diet had about a 10% lower risk of cardiovascular disease overall and a 9% lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to those least closely following such a diet. However, plant-based diet quality mattered greatly: a 'healthful' plant-based diet—emphasizing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes—was associated with a 17% lower CVD risk and a 23% lower CHD risk, while an 'unhealthful' plant-based diet—which may include refined grains, sugary foods, and highly processed plant foods—was actually linked to a 13% higher CVD risk and a 24% higher CHD risk. Importantly, no significant association was found between plant-based diet adherence of any type and the risk of stroke, suggesting that whatever protective effect plant-based eating may have is not uniform across all types of cardiovascular events. The authors note that further well-designed studies are needed to clarify these relationships. This research suggests that simply eating fewer animal products is not sufficient for cardiovascular protection—the quality and healthfulness of the plant foods consumed appears to be equally important. Choosing whole, minimally processed plant foods rather than refined or heavily processed ones may be a key factor in whether a plant-based diet benefits or harms heart health.
Kim Y, Kim Y. (2026). A Plant-Based Diet and Cardiovascular Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, and Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18172779