Two recent studies from the University of Toronto and Unity Health Toronto underscore the plant-based portfolio diet’s potential to lower cardiovascular disease risk and mortality across different demographics.
In the first study, published in BMC Medicine, researchers examined data from nearly 15,000 Americans. They found that adherence to the portfolio diet significantly reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and all causes.
“Even small changes, like adding an ounce of nuts or half a cup of cooked beans to your diet, can make a difference,” said Meaghan Kavanagh, lead author and postdoctoral fellow at U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. “You don’t need to follow the diet strictly to see benefits.”
Participants in the study earned points for consuming foods from categories within the portfolio diet: nuts, plant-based proteins like beans or tofu, viscous fiber sources such as apples or oatmeal, and foods rich in phytosterols and monounsaturated fats, like enriched margarine or oils. Points were subtracted for high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
The findings revealed that those who closely followed the diet had lower levels of risk factors such as blood lipids, inflammation, and high blood sugar. They experienced a 16% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk, 18% reduction in coronary heart disease risk, and a 14% lower rate of all-cause mortality. Even those with moderate adherence saw notable benefits, including a 12% decrease in cardiovascular disease risk and 12% fewer deaths from all causes.
John Sievenpiper, professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at Temerty Medicine, led the study. It is the first to link the portfolio diet, developed by Professor David Jenkins in 2003, to reductions in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The research also expanded the scope of previous studies by including diverse populations such as non-Hispanic Blacks, Mexican Americans, and seniors.
The study utilized a 24-hour dietary recall survey and food frequency questionnaires, offering a more accurate reflection of people’s eating habits than previous research, which often overlooked the types of fats used in cooking.
“We were able to capture a more nuanced picture of people’s diets,” Kavanagh explained. “For instance, cooking with lard, common in some regions, was noted, as it contains more saturated fat than olive oil.”
A Focus on Younger Populations
While much of the portfolio diet research has focused on older adults, a second study, published in BMC Public Health, examines its effects on younger, healthier individuals. This study involved about 1,500 ethnoculturally diverse young adults in their twenties, using data from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health Study.
Lead author Victoria Chen, who recently completed a master’s degree in nutritional sciences at Temerty Medicine, aimed to understand how the portfolio diet influences younger, generally healthier populations.
Even in this low-risk group, greater adherence to the diet led to improvements in LDL cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors, such as total cholesterol and blood pressure. Chen believes adopting these eating habits early could help prevent the early onset of cardiovascular disease.
“Even though participants had relatively low LDL cholesterol levels to begin with, we still saw favorable associations with risk factors,” said Chen. “This highlights the importance of considering cumulative exposure to these factors over a lifetime.”
The study suggests that adhering to the portfolio diet for 50% of the time during young adulthood could delay the rise in cardiovascular disease risk by six years. Full adherence might delay risk onset by up to 13 years.
The researchers also noted that young adulthood is a critical period for dietary interventions, as life transitions—like moving away from home or finishing school—often lead to poorer dietary choices.
“People in their twenties aren’t typically considered a target demographic for therapeutic diets,” said Chen. “But we found that simple, on-the-go foods like nuts and fruits, which are part of the portfolio diet, were already commonly consumed by this age group, making it easier to incorporate these habits into their lives and improve long-term health.”
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