How Can Consuming a Plant-Based Diet Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women?

Author Information

Rebecca L. Stack, Bridgewater State University

Abstract/Description

Despite the fact that women suffer higher rates of cardiovascular events after menopause, there exists a significant underrepresentation of women—especially postmenopausal women—in cardiovascular clinical trials to date. Fortunately, current evidence reveals that cardiovascular events in the general population are largely preventable through modifiable lifestyle factors, with dietary intervention being one of the most important (Amiri et al., 2022). As the impact of whole-diet interventions on cardiovascular risk factors is further explored, it has been determined that a plant-based dietary pattern may favorably influence the prevention of cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women (Barańska et al., 2021). Evidence also reveals that certain phytochemicals which are provided in bulk by a plantbased diet, such as phytoestrogens, may be particularly beneficial to the health of the postmenopausal population (Barańska et al., 2021). This comprehensive literature review will attempt to evaluate exactly how a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women by examining relevant clinical trials, identifying and explaining the beneficial effects of various cardioprotective phytochemicals, and considering how popular plant-based diets like the Mediterranean Diet are conducive to heart health. As early as 2006, Chin- Hua Fu et al. established that a plant-based diet may be a natural and effective approach to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women (Fu et al., 2006). This review concludes that more well-designed controlled clinical trials should be conducted with this population to achieve more conclusive results regarding the most effective diet for cardiovascular risk reduction in postmenopausal women.

Note on the Author

Rebecca L. Stack is a 2023 BSU graduate and Commonwealth Honors student who majored in Health Science and minored in Nutrition and Spanish. Mentored by Dr. Kathleen Laquale, Professor of Health and Kinesiology, Rebecca completed her honors thesis over the course of two semesters. Rebecca developed a strong passion for nutrition during her four years at Bridgewater State, specifically in the realm of plant-based nutrition. As an environmentalist, she felt a responsibility to shift to a plant-based diet during her freshman year, and her subsequent courses in Health Science and Nutrition only further inspired this shift. Fascinated by the power of plants, Rebecca believes that food is medicine, and she aims to inspire more individuals to take control of their health as a means to prevent and treat disease. Rebecca currently works as a dietary aide as she plans to further her education in Nutrition.

Recommended Citation

Stack, Rebecca L. (2023). How Can Consuming a Plant-Based Diet Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women?. Undergraduate Review, 17, p. 85-102.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/undergrad_rev/vol17/iss1/11

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Articles published in The Undergraduate Review are the property of the individual contributors and may not be reprinted, reformatted, repurposed or duplicated, without the contributor’s consent.