Plant-based diets – quality makes a difference
Foods or food groups, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, are the foundation of many healthful dietary patterns. They are especially emphasised by plant-based dietary patterns that are gaining their popularity worldwide. Such dietary patterns may not only refer to vegan and vegetarian diets which exclude animal product consumption entirely or largely, but can also include dietary patterns that primarily consist of plant-based foods. Overall, solid evidence from large scale epidemiological studies has demonstrated that these diets overall are associated with lower risk of developing cardiometabolic conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and excess weight gain, premature deaths, and other chronic conditions. Yet at the same time, not all plant-based foods are created equal in terms of their nutrient composition and health consequences, with some (e.g., refined carbohydrates) being linked to adverse health outcomes. Join Dr Qi Sun for this webinar, to analyse clinical trials analysing the lowered cardiometablic disease risk associated with healthful plant-based dietary patterns and the potential benefits, particularly to diabetes patients. Also, explore the less apparent but critical opportunity for a positive sustainability impact. What will I gain from this webinar?
- Gain insight on healthful plant-based dietary patterns that promote good health benefits
- Learn how a plant based diet may help individuals living with type 2 diabetes to manage their health.
- Understand how eating healthful plant-based diets is beneficial for both human health and the health of the planet that we live on.
Endorsement No EN175.57
Curriculum
- 1 Section
- 2 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Plant-based Diets - Quality Makes a Difference2
Instructor
Dr. Qi Sun is Associate Professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is also Associate Professor of Medicine at Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sun’s primary research interests are to identify and examine biomedical risk factors, particularly dietary biomarkers, in relation to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease through epidemiological investigations.
His research is primarily based on several large-scale cohort studies including the Nurses’ Health Studies and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Dr. Sun is also interested in understanding the role of environmental pollutants, such as perfluoroalkyl substances and legacy persistent organic pollutants, in the etiology of weight change and type 2 diabetes. His research has led to more than 250 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Sun is currently leading a few NIH-funded projects that focus on food biomarker discovery and validation, as well as relationships between obesogens and weight change, in human populations.
