Prevention & lipidsMeta-analysis
Vegetarian or vegan diets and blood lipids: a meta-analysis of randomized trials
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials
- random-effects model
Authors' conclusion
Vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with reduced concentrations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B-effects that were consistent across various study and participant characteristics.
Study context
- Population
- Adults over 18 years in RCTs, studies published 1980–October 202230 RCTs
- Comparison
- Vegetarian or vegan diets vs omnivorous diet
- Outcome
- Blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, TG and apolipoprotein B
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Plant-based diets vs OmnivorousMD, mmol/L (95% CI)P value
total cholesterol
−0.34(−0.44 to −0.23)
P = 1 × 10-9LDL-C
−0.30(−0.40 to −0.19)
P = 4 × 10-8Plant-based diets vs OmnivorousMD, mg/dL (95% CI)P value
apolipoprotein B
−12.92(−22.63 to −3.20)
P = 0.01Further pooled results
Effect sizes by age, continent, study duration, health status, intervention diet, intervention program and study design
- Effect sizes similar across subgroups
Original publication
Vegetarian or vegan diets and blood lipids: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Eur Heart J. Published 24 May 2023. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad211
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it