The Practice of Plant-Based Diets In Canada and their Contribution to Diet Quality and their Association with Chronic Conditions

Abstract

In Canada, unhealthy dietary patterns are comprised of diets with poor nutrient density and are associated with chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and select cancers; and thus, negatively impact the health and well-being of Canadians. Recently, plant-based diets have gained in popularity due to their ability to provide a diet that is nutritionally adequate and mindful of health. Adopting plant-based diets may improve the diet quality of Canadians as well as their health and wellbeing. The aims of this research were to recognize knowledge gaps in literature on plant-based diets and health, identify diet-disease trends in the Canadian population, and analyze national cross sectional survey data on the nutritional adequacy of plant-based diets and their relationship with chronic conditions in Canada. The research consisted of a scoping review, which synthesized literature and allowed for identification of gaps in Canadian research, and a statistical analysis of Canadian data on diet and health, which included descriptive and inferential analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) data. Three main findings of the research were identified. First, both the synthesis of the available literature and statistical analysis found plant-based diets to hold superior nutritional value, compared to omnivore diets, through higher scores on nutrient density indexes. Second, both the synthesis of the literature and statistical analysis confirmed plant-based diets to be nutrient sufficient when the diet was well-planned and accounted for potential nutrients of conventional concern. Third, the synthesis of the literature determined various plant-based diets to be associated with a reduced prevalence of select chronic conditions, however statistical modelling did not identify statistically significant associations between select chronic conditions and plant-based dietary patterns in the Canadian population, thus no conclusions could be drawn. Recommendations for future policy, practice, and research include continued knowledge translation on plant-based diets with emphasis on what comprises a healthy plant-based diet, public guidance on the intersection between diet and health, and completion of prospective cohort studies to quantify temporal relationships. To conclude, the research suggests well-planned plant-based diets, in comparison to omnivore diets, offer a nutrient dense diet and may confer health benefits.