TY - JOUR A1 - Koeder, Christian T1 - Understanding the situation of vegans JF - Eating and Weight Disorders KW - vegan KW - plant-based diet KW - orthorexia nervosa Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40519-021-01127-2 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Koeder, Christian A1 - Hahn, Andreas A1 - Englert, Heike T1 - A plant-based diet and healthy lifestyle lower C-reactive protein levels T2 - Complement Med Res N2 - Introduction: Many disease processes are accompanied and promoted by increased inflammation in the body. Increased concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the blood are an indicator of subclinical inflammation, increased disease risk, and an increased risk of early death. A healthy plant-based diet and increased physical activity have been shown to reduce hs-CRP concentrations. Objectives: Our objective was to test if a healthy lifestyle intervention program can improve hs-CRP levels and other risk factors. Methodology: We are conducting a non-randomized, controlled intervention study with 6 times of measurement (baseline, after 2.5, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months). Participants in the intervention group (n = 104) took part in a 2.5-month intensive lifestyle program focusing on a plant-based diet (PBD), physical activity, stress management and group support. Currently they are in the less intensive phase (monthly seminars) which will be completed after 24 months. The control group (n = 62) did not take part in any program. In both groups hs-CRP was assessed, and participants with an infection/common cold at any of the times of measurement were excluded from the analyses. Results: In the intervention group (n = 97) we observed a reduction in hsCRP from baseline to 2.5 months (p < 0.001). In the control group (n = 46) hs-CRP levels increased non-significantly. The changes from baseline to 2.5 months were significantly different between intervention and control (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our program led to a clinically relevant reduction in hs-CRP. Continued follow-up will show if this improvement can be maintained in the intervention group. Our study confirms that a PBD and healthier lifestyle choices can lower hs-CRP. KW - plant-based diet KW - inflammation KW - cardiovascular disease KW - cancer Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-131847 UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33631741/ SP - 6 EP - 7 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Koeder, Christian A1 - Hahn, Andreas A1 - Englert, Heike T1 - Effect of a 6-Month Controlled Lifestyle Intervention on Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness JF - The journal of nutrition, health & aging KW - plant-based diet KW - cardiovascular disease KW - kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen KW - Prävention Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1628-0 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Koeder, Christian A1 - Husain, Sarah A1 - Kranz, Ragna-Marie A1 - Hahn, Andreas A1 - Englert, Heike T1 - How to achieve sustainable eating in the general population? T2 - The 9th World Sustainability Forum Program and Abstract Book N2 - Introduction: Moving towards a more plant-based dietary pattern would likely be beneficial in terms of a variety of sustainability dimensions. Methodology: We conducted a 2-year intervention study with six measurement time points (baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 1½ years, 2 years) in rural northwest Germany. The intervention consisted of a lifestyle programme, and dietary recommendations were to move towards a healthy, plant-based diet. The control group received no intervention. Diet quality was assessed with the healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI). Results: In the intervention group (n = 67), the 2-year trajectory of hPDI was significantly higher compared to control (n = 39; p 0.001; between-group difference: 5.7 (95% CI 4.0, 7.3) food portions/day; adjusted for baseline). The 2-year trajectory of meat intake was significantly lower in the intervention group (n = 79) compared to control (n = 40; p 0.001; between-group difference: -0.7 (95% CI -0.9, -0.5) portions/day; adjusted for baseline). Conclusion: Our study confirms that plant-based nutrition education in the general population is likely to result in at least modest dietary improvements in terms of general healthfulness and meat reduction. KW - plant-based diet KW - sustainability Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-140455 UR - https://wsf-9.sciforum.net/ SP - 57 EP - 57 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Koeder, Christian A1 - Hahn, Andreas A1 - Englert, Heike T1 - Is fruit intake associated with common carotid intima-media thickness? JF - European Journal of Public Health N2 - Background Common carotid intima-media thickness (ccIMT) is an established risk marker for cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction and stroke, which are of high public health relevance. While a higher fruit intake is generally considered beneficial for cardiovascular health, recent studies have shown that a fruit intake of > 2 portions per day may be harmful. Therefore, we tested if there is an association between categories of fruit intake and mean ccIMT. Methods We conducted an exploratory, non-prespecified, cross-sectional analysis of baseline values of 167 mostly middle-aged participants of a controlled lifestyle intervention, recruited from the general population in rural northwest Germany (male: n = 58; female: n = 109). Fruit intake was classified into low (<1 portion of fruit/day), intermediate (1-2 portions of fruit/day), and high (>2 portions of fruit/day). Mean ccIMT was measured in accordance with the Mannheim consensus. Between-group differences in mean ccIMT were assessed with analysis of covariance. Results Mean age was 57.3 ± 0.7 years (mean ± SEM). Mean fruit intake was 1.6 ± 0.1 portions/day. Average mean ccIMT was 0.679 ± 0.010 mm. There was a significant difference in mean ccIMT between subjects with low (0.676 ± 0.020 mm; n = 50), intermediate (0.653 ± 0.014 mm; n = 72), and high fruit intake (0.724 ± 0.019 mm; n = 45; p = 0.016). But this difference was attenuated when adjusting for age, sex, and homocysteine (p = 0.418). Conclusions We found only a non-significant association between consuming >2 portions of fruit per day and ccIMT. Thus, our study could not confirm a negative effect of fruit intake on ccIMT. Age, sex, and homocysteine may confound this association. Key messages Current recommendations of 2 portions of fruit per day seem adequate and do not negatively influence carotid intima-media thickness. Future studies should address confounding of the association between fruit intake and cardiovascular risk markers. KW - plant-based diet KW - carotid intima-media thickness KW - fruit Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab165.391 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Koeder, Christian A1 - Husain, Sarah A1 - Kranz, Ragna-Marie A1 - Anand, Corinna A1 - Alzughayyar, Dima A1 - Schoch, Nora A1 - Hahn, Andrea A1 - Englert, Heike T1 - Healthy lifestyle changes favourably affect common carotid intima-media thickness: the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (cohort 2) JF - Journal of Nutritional Science N2 - Common carotid intima-media thickness (ccIMT) progression is a risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas healthy lifestyle habits are associated with lower ccIMT. The objective of the present study was to test whether a healthy lifestyle intervention can beneficially affect ccIMT progression. A community-based non-randomised, controlled lifestyle intervention was conducted, focusing on a predominantly plant-based diet (strongest emphasis), physical activity, stress management and social health. Assessments of ccIMT were made at baseline, 6 months and 1 year. Participants had an average age of 57 years and were recruited from the general population in rural northwest Germany (intervention: n 114; control: n 87). From baseline to 1 year, mean ccIMT significantly increased in both the intervention (0⋅026 [95 % CI 0⋅012, 0⋅039] mm) and control group (0⋅045 [95 % CI 0⋅033, 0⋅056] mm). The 1-year trajectory of mean ccIMT was lower in the intervention group (P = 0⋅022; adjusted for baseline). In a subgroup analysis with participants with high baseline mean ccIMT (≥0⋅800 mm), mean ccIMT non-significantly decreased in the intervention group (−0⋅016 [95 % CI −0⋅050, 0⋅017] mm; n 18) and significantly increased in the control group (0⋅065 [95 % CI 0⋅033, 0⋅096] mm; n 12). In the subgroup, the 1-year trajectory of mean ccIMT was significantly lower in the intervention group (between-group difference: −0⋅051 [95 % CI −0⋅075, −0⋅027] mm; P < 0⋅001; adjusted for baseline). The results indicate that healthy lifestyle changes may beneficially affect ccIMT within 1 year, particularly if baseline ccIMT is high. KW - plant-based diet KW - carotid intima-media thickness KW - cardiovascular disease KW - atherosclerosis KW - lifestyle Y1 - 2022 UR - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-nutritional-science/article/healthy-lifestyle-changes-favourably-affect-common-carotid-intimamedia-thickness-the-healthy-lifestyle-community-programme-cohort-2/DD29870A14031B1EB3DF112B2A381695#article U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jns.2022.46 VL - 11 ER -