(P22-066-24) Pass the Veggies: Greater Intake of Plant-Based Proteins Is Associated With Lower Inflammation, Less Depression and Better Diet Quality in US Adults

Objectives: Nutritional trends and recommendations have emphasized the benefits of increasing plant food intake and decreasing intake of meat products, but little has been done to examine the association between plant food intake, diet quality, chronic disease risk, and other health outcomes in free-living populations. The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between plant food intake, diet quality, and anthropometric markers in a nationally representative sample of US adults.

Methods: Data from a nationally representative sample of 7,910 adults who participated in the 2017-2020 NHANES pre-pandemic survey was analyzed. Dietary data was collected using 24HR, and intake of plant foods was quantified using the USDA FPED serving equivalents. Dietary energy density was calculated using the food-only method. Anthropometric measurements, including BMI and DXA data were provided in the dataset. High-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) was collected for study participants during the MEC exam; depression was assessed using the PHQ-9. All data were analyzed using SAS 9.4 survey procedures to account for the unequal sampling probability and complex survey design of the NHANES. All models were energy-adjusted and adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and household income.

Results: In this sample of US adults, greater intake of plant foods was associated with a variety of health benefits. A negative linear trend was observed between intake of plant foods and hsCRP (p-trend 0.0007), as well as total energy density (p < .0001 ). Increased plant protein intake (soy + legume) was associated with lower BMI (p=0.007), lower waist circumference (p=0.0018), and lower rates of depressive symptoms (p=0.002). In a subset of adults with available DXA data, plant protein intake was also associated with lower total body fat and lower trunk fat in males, but not females.

Conclusions: These results indicate that greater intake of plant foods, including plant proteins and soy products, is associated with better diet quality, lower body weight, lesser depressive symptoms, and lower levels of inflammation in US adults. Public health messaging that encourages increasing intake of plant-based proteins may be an effective strategy for reducing the burden of chronic disease.

Funding Sources: None