Effects of Plant-based Diets and Animal based Diet on Human Health and Chronic Conditions

Abstract

Neracionāla diēta var ietekmēt dažas hroniskas slimības. Veselīgs augu uzturs ir saistīts ar zemāku sirds un asinsvadu slimību risku, mirstību no sirds un asinsvadu slimībām, un tomēr tā labvēlīgā ietekme uz šiem apstākļiem ir mazāk atzīta. Šī literatūras pārskata mērķis ir analizēt augu un visēdāju uzturu, novērtēt to saistību ar hroniskām slimībām un mirstību, meklēt iespējamos izskaidrojumus novērotajām asociācijām un sniegt ieteikumus par uzturu.

Ir daudz priekšrocību, ja izmantot augu pārtiku un izvairāties no dzīvnieku izcelsmes produktiem no uztura. Tās galvenās priekšrocības ir hronisku slimību profilakse .Tas tika konstatēts, veicot lielu skaitu pētījumu, kuros tika salīdzināta veģetāriešu un ne veģetāriešu mirstību un saslimstību. Augu izcelsmes diētu aizsargājošais efekts ir atkarīgs no uztura ievērošanas pakāpes un patērēto dzīvnieku izcelsmes produktu daudzuma. Veselīgu augu un augu izcelsmes diētas ieviešanai vajadzētu būt daļai no ārstēšanas plāna pacientiem ar hroniskām slimībām. Pirms šīs diētas piemērošanas obligāti jāsaņem ieteikumi par uztura plānošanu, uztura speciālistu un citu uztura speciālistu ieteikumi.

This literature review discusses the role of diet on human health, more specifically on chronic conditions. Chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, COPD, diabetes, and cancer are among the most ubiquitous and costly health conditions. Chronic diseases are long term disabilities causing limitations in function, health, activity, and work, thus reducing the quality of individuals lives as well as the lives of their families. These conditions will ultimately lead to death of the patient. Although chronic diseases are common and costly, many of them are also preventable. Many of these diseases and conditions are caused by key health risk behaviours such as tobacco use, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol use. One of the health behaviours that is often ignored is diet. The effects of diet have been recognized for a long time to be a major player for the risk of CVD but its relationship with other chronic conditions is less documented. However, its contribution to the development of these diseases is clear but the type of diet associated with these conditions isn’t as well known. A healthful plant-based diet has been associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease mortality, however it’s beneficial effect on these conditions are less recognized.

The aim of this literature review is to analyse plant based and omnivore diets, evaluate their association to chronic diseases and mortality, search for probable explanations of the observed associations and give dietary recommendations.

Adequately planned plant-based diet have been proven to be befitting for all stages of life, whether child, adult, elderly or pregnant. A plant-based diet includes consumption of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes and avoidance of animal products. The number of vegans and vegetarians worldwide are growing and is expected to continue to rise. Consumption of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables and other plants providing with fibre, phytochemicals and antioxidants have shown to be beneficial, nutritionally sufficient, and useful in the prevention and treatment of certain chronic diseases. Out of the many benefits of consuming whole plant-based foods and eliminating animal products from the diet, its major benefits are prevention and treatment of chronic conditions as well as decreased risk of cancer diagnosis and recurrence.

Vegetarians and vegans generally have lower morbidity and mortality in comparison to omnivores. Vegan diets, when set side by side with vegetarian diets, seem to offer additional benefit for obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, and cardiovascular mortality. Numerous animal products are classified as carcinogenic or probable carcinogens, notably red and processed meat, thus regular consumption of these products pose a greater risk of developing cancer. The protective effects of plant-based diets are relative to the degree of adherence to the diet.