(P02-020-23) The Effect of Meat-Reduced Diets on Plasma Markers of Glucose and Lipids in Adults Aged ≥ 18 Years Old: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objectives: Globally, there is an increasing interest in meat-reduced diets for both health and environmental reasons. With shifting diets, there is a need to understand the effect of meat-reduced diets on the plasma markers of glucose and lipids. This review evaluated the effect of reducing meat consumption on the plasma markers of glucose and lipids (HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol) in adults aged ≥ years old.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible if they compared meat-reduced diets with habitual diets, with a minimum duration of the intervention of 4 weeks. The quality of eligible studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Baseline and end-line outcomes data (HbA1c, LDL, and HDL) were extracted, and changes from baseline were computed and used for meta-analysis. The effect size was summarized using a random effect model and presented as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Atotal of 3658 records were identified. Of thes e, ten records fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The included studies enrolled 1136 participants (n = 647 for the intervention groups and n = 665 for control groups). Meat-reduced diets reduced LDL-cholesterol (10 RCTs, MD: -6.4 mg/dl, 95% CI: -10.8, -1.9; I² = 63.4%) and HbA1c levels (7 RCTs, MD: -0.2 mg/dl, 95% CI: -0.3, -0.1; I²= 32.8%). There was, however, no evidence of the effect on plasma HDL-cholesterol levels (10 RCTs, MD: -0.65 mg/dl, 95% CI: -2.6, 1.3; 65.5%).

Conclusions: The evidence from reviewed studies supports that consuming meat-reduced diets is beneficial for cardiovascular health.

Funding Sources: N/A