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Eating more plant-based protein lowers mortality risk
Increased plant protein intake lowers the risk for overall and cardiovascular mortality, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
“In short-term trials, consumption of high-protein diets have been shown to produce greater weight loss, loss of fat mass, and preservation of lean mass compared with the consumption of normal-protein diets,” Sanjeev Budhathoki, PhD, from the Center for Public Health Sciences in the National Cancer Center, Tokyo, and colleagues wrote. “Despite these benefits, the health effects of adherence to high dietary protein intake on long-term health and mortality remain to be clarified.”
Researchers conducted a population-based prospective cohort study of adults aged 45 to 74 years from Jan. 1, 1995, to Dec. 31, 1999, who were followed up through Dec. 31, 2016. Participants were enrolled from 11 public health centers in Japan.
Food frequency questionnaires were used to determine participants’ dietary intakes and to estimate their protein intake. Participants were then organized into quintiles based on protein intake, ranging from lowest intake in the first quintile to the highest intake in the fifth quintile. Protein intake was expressed as percentage of total energy from each source.
A total of 70,696 participants were enrolled in the study, 45.5% of whom were men (mean age, 55.6 years) and 54.5% of whom were women (mean age, 55.8 years). Researchers documented 12,381 deaths through the follow-up period.
Although researchers found no association between intake of animal protein and lower mortality, they identified an association between lower total mortality and increased plant protein intake.
Compared with those with the lowest plant protein intake, those with increased plant protein intake had a decreased risk for overall mortality (HR for quintile 2 = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.83-0.95; HR for quintile 3 = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.95; HR for quintile 4 = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77-0.92; HR for quintile 5 = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.96).
Plant protein intake was also associated with a reduced risk for CVD-related mortality, the researchers said (HRs = 0.84 [95% CI, 0.73-0.96] to 0.7 [95% CI, 0.59-0.83]).
Researchers found that substituting 3% of energy from red meat consumption with plant protein was tied to lower total mortality (HR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.55-0.80), cancer-related mortality (HR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.45-0.82), and CVD-related mortality (HR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.39-0.86).
A similar substitution of processed meat for plant protein was tied to lowered risks for total mortality (HR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.38-0.75) and cancer-related mortality (HR = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30-0.85).
“Our study suggests that encouraging diets with higher plant-based protein intake may contribute to long-term health and longevity,” Budhathoki and colleagues wrote. – by Erin Michael
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.