Selected cardiovascular risk markers in vegetarians and subjects of general population

Objective: Besides genetic factors there are environmental effects including nutritional habits which can influence the risk of age-related diseases. The aim of the study was to assess the age dependence of selected cardiovascular risk markers in two groups of subjects with different nutritional pattern. Methods: In 470 long-term vegetarians and 478 subjects of general population the following indicators were measured: total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol, glucose, insulin concentrations, LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index and insulin resistance IR(HOMA) were also calculated in studied subjects. Obtained data were evaluated according to age decades. Results: Vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, insulin, and values of atherogenic index and IR(HOMA) were significantly reduced in all age decades. Vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian triacalglycerol concentrations were significantly reduced from 4th-7th decade. Vegetarian average decade values of all lipid parameters were in reference range. In non-vegetarian group, the risk average values of total cholesterol (> 5.2 mmol/l) were found from 5th-7th decade, LDL-cholesterol (> 3.3 mmol/l) in 7th decade and atherogenic index (> 4) in 6th-7th decade. In vegetarians vs. non-vegetarians were noted the average decade values for total cholesterol ranging from 4.01-4.59 vs. 4.48-5.67 mmol/l, for triacylglycerols 1.00-1.33 vs. 1.13-1.74 mmol/l, for LDL-cholesterol 2.03-2.58 vs. 2.43-3.49 mmol/l, for atherogenic index 2.72-3.31 vs. 3.05-4.21 and for IR(HOMA) 0.99-1.15 vs. 1.15-1.84. Conclusion: Our data show significantly reduced mean age decade values of lipid and non-lipid cardiovascular risk markers in all adult vegetarians. Smaller changes of markers between decades compared to non-vegetarians document a protective effect of vegetarian nutrition in prevention of cardiovascular disease.