Vegetarian Dietary Patterns and Mortality in Adventist Health Study 2

Abstract

The possible relationship between diet and mortality remains an important area of investigation. Previous studies have identified dietary factors associated with mortality. Those found to correlate with reduced mortality include nuts,^1-4 fruit,^5,6 cereal fiber,² polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs),² ω-3PUFAs,³ green salad,⁷ Mediterranean dietary patterns,^8-11 “healthy” or “prudent” dietary patterns,^10,12,13 plant-based diet scores,¹⁴ plant-based low-carbohydrate diets,¹⁵ and vegetarian diets.^4,16,17 Associations with increased mortality have been found for a high glycemic load,² meat,^6,7 red meat,^18,19 processed meat,^18,19 eggs,⁷ potatoes,⁵ increased energy intake,²⁰ and animal-based low-carbohydrate diets.¹⁵