title: Impact of plant-based diet on lipid risk factors for atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a vegan diet on the serum lipid profile with particular regard to the parameters characterizing the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) fractions in subjects without subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by carotid Doppler ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two 23 to 38 year old subjects (21 omnivores and 21 vegans) participated in the study. Compared to the omnivores, the vegan subjects were characterized by lower parameters of lipid profile: total cholesterol (p < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (p < 0.001), non-HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001), apolipoprotein B (apoB) (p < 0.001) and phospholipids (p < 0.01). Concentration of HDL-cholesterol was apparently similar between groups. Furthermore, the parameters which characterize HDL particles (con-centration of apolipoproteins AI [apoAI] and AII, HDL-phospholipids, LpAI fraction and pre-b1-HDL fraction) were not significantly different between omnivore and vegan subjects. The apoB/apoAI ratio in vegans was lower than in omnivores (p < 0.01). There was no difference between serum concentration of triacylglycerols between omnivores and vegans. The activity of paraoxonase-1 and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2a concentration were also not different between the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that a vegan diet may have a beneficial effect on serum lipid profile and cardiovascular protection, but it is not associated with changes in HDL composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. agakuchta@gumed.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuchta
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lebiedzińska
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fijałkowski
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gałąska
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kreft
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Totoń
authors.forename: Kuba
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Czaja
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kozłowska
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ćwiklińska
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kortas-Stempak
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strzelecki
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gliwińska
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dąbkowski
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jankowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D000067269:Diet, Vegan / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins
keywords: atherosclerosis; lipoproteins; plant-based diet