WHO, ACLM Champion Plant-Based Diets
The World Health Organization and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine have issued updated guidance emphasizing whole, plant-based foods for health and disease prevention. The guidance advocates for diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains while minimizing processed foods. Recent research also highlighted that plant-based diets are associated with reduced symptoms for those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- The economic toll of nutrition-related chronic diseases in the U.S. was estimated at $16 trillion from 2011-2020, factoring in direct healthcare costs and lost economic productivity. Poor diets are linked to approximately $50 billion in U.S. healthcare costs annually from cardiometabolic diseases alone. - A large UK study following over 143,000 people found that a healthy plant-based diet was associated with a 14% lower risk of Crohn's disease and an 8% lower risk of ulcerative colitis. Conversely, an unhealthy plant-based diet was linked to a 15% higher risk of Crohn's disease. - The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) now uses the term "whole food plant-predominant" to emphasize that the focus should be on minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This approach aligns with other major health frameworks like the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet. - The WHO's updated guidance recommends that carbohydrates should make up 40-70% of total energy intake and come primarily from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and pulses. It also advises limiting free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake. - This focus on food-based patterns marks a continued evolution in dietary advice, which in previous decades centered more on individual nutrients like saturated fat or fiber rather than whole foods. - A review of 23 studies involving 2,304 participants concluded that while initial findings for using plant-based diets to manage IBD are promising, more methodologically rigorous trials are needed to confirm their effectiveness. - Globally, there is a trend of national dietary guidelines shifting to endorse plant-based eating; for example, Germany's nutrition society now suggests a diet of at least 75% plant-based foods, and Canada no longer has a standalone milk food group, instead encouraging more plant-based proteins. - For individuals adopting a vegan diet, the WHO and other health bodies emphasize the need to ensure a reliable source of Vitamin B12, which is not naturally present in plant foods, through fortified foods or supplements.
