Overview

• A recent survey found that 50% of U.S. adults recognize the health benefits of plant-based diets for preventing chronic diseases, but only 1 in 5 primary care practitioners discuss this with patients.
• Sixty-five percent of respondents expressed willingness to try a plant-based diet if presented with evidence of its benefits, highlighting a gap in translating awareness into action.
• Large-scale studies, including a 2023 meta-analysis and the Adventist Health Study 2, have consistently linked plant-based diets to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and early death.
• The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is addressing gaps in nutrition education by offering tools for medical and nursing students and advocating for state-level legislation to improve physician training on diet and health.
• New York legislators introduced a bill to enhance continuing medical education in nutrition, aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce health disparities related to diet-related illnesses.