Healthy plant-based foods may improve pregnancy cardiometabolic markers

A new NHANES analysis suggests that the quality of plant foods may matter more than avoiding animal foods when it comes to cardiometabolic health during pregnancy. Study: Plant-based diet quality and cardiometabolic biomarkers in pregnant U.S. women.

Healthy plant-based foods may improve pregnancy cardiometabolic markers. In a recent study published in the journal Nutrition and Health, researchers evaluated associations between plant-based diets and biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in pregnant women in the United States. Plant-Based Pregnancy Diet Background Plant-based diets are linked to cardiometabolic benefits, including a lower risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report recommends increasing consumption of plant-based whole foods and reducing intake of processed and red meat. Despite the evidence that healthful plant-based diets promote cardiometabolic health, research on these associations in pregnant women remains limited. NHANES Pregnancy Diet Study Design In the present study, researchers...