This longitudinal study from China analyzed the relationship between different plant-based diet patterns—overall (PDI), healthy (hPDI), and unhealthy (uPDI)—and their impacts on cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs), all-cause mortality, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using data from over 14,000 adults in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (1997–2015), the study found that higher adherence to unhealthy plant-based diets (uPDI) significantly increased the risk of myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and mortality. In contrast, higher PDI and hPDI scores were linked to lower risks of CMDs and GHG emissions. These findings underscore the importance of diet quality, even within plant-based patterns, for both human and planetary health.
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