Plant-based diet linked to lower heart disease risk in postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women who adopt the Planetary Health Diet, an eating pattern that prioritises plant-based intake, have a lower risk of developing heart disease, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.

According to a Health publication on 20 August 2026, the study involved nearly 67,000 postmenopausal women with an average age of 63 who had no history of cardiovascular disease at the start of the research. They were asked to complete questionnaires to assess how closely their diets aligned with the Planetary Health Diet, a pattern that includes high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. The diet also limits intake of fish, poultry, dairy products, eggs, unsaturated fats, red and processed meat, refined grains, and added sugars.

After completing the questionnaires, researchers monitored the participants for approximately 20 years to see who developed cardiovascular disease. The results showed that women whose diets most closely matched the Planetary Health Diet had a 28 per cent lower overall risk of cardiovascular disease compared with those whose diets were least aligned with the pattern.

The findings are considered consistent with other research on the influence of plant-based diets on reducing major risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and inflammation. Canadian registered dietitian Sarah Glinski said that a largely plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

However, the new study on the impact of the Planetary Health Diet on heart health has several limitations. Besides not yet being published in a scientific journal or undergoing peer review, the study relied solely on self-reported data from participants, which could potentially introduce bias.

Those wishing to try the diet are advised to start with small, realistic changes rather than overhauling their entire eating pattern at once. “A person does not need to follow a perfect diet to reap the benefits,” said lead study author Donya Shahamati, a doctoral student at the Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health at UC Irvine. She gave examples such as choosing oatmeal instead of cereal, replacing butter with olive oil, or setting aside one day a week to go meat-free.