Flexiatarian vs Omnivore Diet

From Medical News Today
Diet can affect heart health
Cardiovascular diseases are the foremost cause of death across the globe, accounting for nearly 18 million deaths annually. Lifestyle modifications, including dietary changes and physical activity, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.

Studies have shown that an omnivorous diet rich in meats and processed meats is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease than plant-based diets. However, there is limited scientific evidence on whether a flexitarian diet consisting of a limited intake of animal protein confers cardiovascular health benefits similar to a vegetarian diet.

In the present study, the researchers classified participants into vegans, flexitarians, and omnivores based on self-reported daily consumption of meat to assess differences in their cardiovascular health.

How a flexitarian diet affects the heart
The study consisted of 94 participants aged 25 to 45 years who had been adhering to a vegan, omnivorous, or flexitarian diet for a period of at least a year prior to the study. The researchers used questionnaires to assess the participants’ dietary habits and lifestyle factors.

Individuals consuming less than 50 g of meat per day were categorized as flexitarians, whereas those consuming 170 g or more of meat were classified as omnivores. The third group consisted of vegans who completely abstained from the consumption of animal products.

Blood samples were obtained from the participants on the day of the study to evaluate cardiovascular disease biomarkers. In addition, the researchers also measured the participants’ blood pressure, body mass index, and the stiffness of arteries during the visit.

Less meat, lower cholesterol
The assessment of blood biomarkers suggested that flexitarians and vegans had better cardiovascular health than omnivores. Specifically, flexitarians and vegans showed lower levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than omnivores. Vegans also showed lower fasting insulin levels than omnivores and flexitarians, though the difference lost significance when the researchers adjusted for cofounders.

Moreover, flexitarians and vegans had lower metabolic syndrome severity scores, which is a composite measure of several cardiovascular risk factors, including blood glucose levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and weight.

Studies have found that increased stiffness of arteries is associated with cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, flexitarians showed reduced arterial stiffness than both vegans and omnivores.

A comparison of the dietary habits of the participants revealed that omnivores consumed not only more meat but also sweets, alcohol, and dairy products than vegans and flexitarians. In contrast, vegans and flexitarians consumed more fruits, vegetables, and nuts/seeds than omnivores.

Sugar may negatively affect heart health
The researchers then assessed the association between different food groups and cardiovascular risk.

The consumption of sweets, soft drinks, dairy products, and meat was associated with blood biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, such as low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol.