Healthy adult vegetarians have better renal function than matched omnivores: a cross sectional study in China.

Abstract

Background Appropriate diet is an important determinant of kidney health. However, the association between vegetarian diets and renal function is unclear.Object We aimed to study the association between vegetarian diets and renal function in healthy adults.Design A total of 269 vegetarians (aged 34.5±8.7 years) and 269 sex- and age-matched nonvegetarian omnivores were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Basic characteristics as well as daily dietary intakes were assessed by face-to-face interviews. Blood samples were collected, and renal function was assessed by measuring blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), uric acid (UA) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and blood lipid profiles were also assessed.Results The average age of the vegetarians was 35.4±8.6 years, 82.2% of whom were female. We evaluated the association between vegetarian diets and renal function by using multivariate analysis. Compared with omnivores, vegetarians had lower BUN (β= -0.63, 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.38), SCr (β= -2.07, 95% CI: -4.21 to -0.061), UA (β= -15.17, 95% CI: -27.81 to -2.53) and higher eGFR levels (β= 4.09, 95% CI: 0.23 to 7.96) after adjusting for sex, age, BMI, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status, LDL, HDL, systolic pressure and fasting blood glucose. Further analysis of food composition and renal function showed that dietary fiber intake was significantly negatively associated with BUN [β= -0.02, 95% CI:(-0.03, 0.00)], SCr [β= -0.14, 95% CI:(-0.25, 0.04)], and UA [β= -0.72, 95% CI:(-1.36, 0.07)] and positively associated with eGFR [β= 0.20, 95% CI:(0.00, 0.40)].Conclusions Healthy adult vegetarians have better renal function than omnivores, and the higher dietary fiber intake associated with vegetarian diets may contribute to the protective effect on renal function.

Effects of vegetarian versus Mediterranean diet on kidney function: Findings from the CARDIVEG study

“…These results are in line with several observational studies, conducted in apparently healthy young or middle‐aged individuals from different populations, which have shown better kidney function parameters and/or lower prevalence of CKD among vegetarians than among omnivores. A study in Thailand revealed a significantly lower level of BUN, BUN/creatinine ratio and a lower urinary protein excretion rate in vegans compared to nonvegans, 21 while a recent cross‐sectional study in China reported that vegetarians had better kidney function parameters than nonvegetarians, also after adjustment for possible confounding factors 22 . In another cross‐sectional study on 55,113 participants from Taiwan, VD was significantly associated with lower prevalence of CKD, 23 and similar findings were reported in two prospective cohort studies after 6.1 years 24 and 24 years 25 of follow‐up.…”

Constitutions of Deficiency and Stasis of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Related Factors among Middle-Aged Women in Taiwan

“…It implies reducing the chance of a yin-deficiency constitution through a vegetarian diet may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. Some cross-sectional studies also indicate the vegetarian diet is associated with a lower fasting insulin level, higher insulin sensitivity, higher serum concentrations of polyunsaturated, higher monosaturated fatty acids, lower saturated fatty acids, lower long chain omega-3, lower trans fatty acids, and better renal function [ 47 – 49 ]. The vegetarian diet is also negatively associated with diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in premenopausal women and in menopausal women [ 50 ].…”