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Posted by on Feb 6, 2021 in Hypertension | 0 comments

In a nutshell

This study looked at the effect of a plant-based diet on blood pressure (BP). It found that plant-based diets resulted in lower BP. Two types of diet, the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, were most effective at lowering BP.

Some background

High BP is a common problem worldwide and has important health consequences including stroke, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and death. It has been shown that a strict vegetarian diet is effective in lowering BP. However, it is not clear if a less strict diet that includes some animal products is also effective at lowering BP.

Methods & findings

This study reviewed the results of 41 previous studies, involving a total of 8,416 participants. These participants adhered to a plant-based diet to try and lower their BP. Several types of plant-based diets were used, including the DASH diet, the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, the Mediterranean diet, the vegan diet, the Nordic diet, the high-fiber diet, and the high fruit and vegetable diet.

All diets were associated with an improvement in blood pressure. The effect was most significant for the DASH and the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. The DASH diet recommends eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy products and limits the intake of sweets, saturated fat, and salt. The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet excludes the consumption of all meat, poultry, and fish but includes the consumption of dairy and eggs. Both of these diets resulted in an average drop in systolic BP (SBP; BP when the heart beats) of 5.5 mmHg. The DASH diet involved a drop in diastolic BP (DBP; BP when the heart relaxes) of 3.78 mmHg, while the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet a DBP drop of 2.49 mmHg.

The bottom line

This study showed that plant-based diets, particularly the DASH and lacto-ovo vegetarian diets are associated with lower BP.  

The fine print

There were small numbers of studies available on some of these diets, in particular the Nordic diet, the high-fiber diet, and the high fruit and vegetable diet. More studies are needed to investigate the effect of these diets.

What’s next?

Discuss with your doctor before deciding which diet best suits your situation.

Published By :

Journal of hypertension

Date :

Jan 01, 2021

Original Title :

The effect of plant-based dietary patterns on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled intervention trials.

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