Lacto-ovo vegetarians are 43% less likely to have hypertension than non-vegetarians

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Thursday, February 09, 2017 2:09 pm Email this article

Lacto-ovo vegetarians are 43% less likely to have hypertension than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

After adjusting for body mass index (BMI), lacto-ovo vegetarians had a 14% lower risk of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

In other words, a large part of the reason for the lower risk of hypertension was due to lower body weight.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat vegetables, eggs, and dairy products, but who do not eat meat.

Hypertension Definition

Hypertension Definition: 140/90 mm Hg or greater or taking a blood pressure drug

Hypertension was defined as having a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher, or having a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher, or someone who was taking antihypertensive medications.

Subjects

Subjects: 500 whites

The study analyzed data from 500 whites that were representative of the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort.

Reference

Pettersen BJ, Anousheh R, Fan J, Jaceldo-Siegl K, and Fraser GE. Vegetarian diets and blood pressure among white subjects: results from the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2). Public Health Nutr, 2012 Oct; 15(10): 1909-1916.

Author’s Contact Info

Gary E Fraser
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
School of Public Health
Loma Linda University
24785 Stewart Street
Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
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(Present address: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tromsø, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway.)

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• Blood Pressure

• Vegetarians