The committee determined from 83 studies that most evidence supported the link between dietary patterns and these illnesses, during its sixth meeting earlier this month. Specifically, dietary patterns that are high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish/seafood and unsaturated oils, and low in red and processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with a lower risk of age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Concerns around the one eligible randomized controlled trial (RCT) exhibited wide confidence intervals (i.e. uncertainty) and variability in measurement tools, according to the committee.
A decreased risk of colon and rectal cancer were associated with a higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and lower consumption of red/processed meats, refined grains, fried potatoes, saturated fats and sugar-sweetened beverages. These findings are based on 29 studies, a majority from prospective cohorts with evidence consistently showing that these foods exhibit a protective effect against the diseases. However, the committee emphasized its concerns around missing confounders like colonoscopy screenings, single-time dietary assessments and some studies with wide confidence intervals.
Breast cancer risks potentially lowered with plant-based diet
The committee found moderate evidence between lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer and diets high in plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains and low in red and processed meats, refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages.
Similarly, data indicated these foods offer a protective effect for premenopausal breast cancer. However, the committee emphasized that the evidence is less consistent and more varied, particularly around specific components of the dietary patterns.
Due to a lack of studies, no conclusive evidence can be made in regard to the association on dietary patterns on different molecular subtypes of breast cancer (e.g. estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 receptor).
Plant-based, fish/seafood and unsaturated fat may reduce cardiovascular disease risk in children
The committee found moderate evidence that high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish/seafood and unsaturated fats, and low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and red/processed meats are associated with lower blood pressure and triglycerides in children and adolescents.
However, no conclusive evidence was found in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which contributes to CVD, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which prevents cholesterol building and protects against CVD.