The healthful plant-based diet index as a tool for obesity prevention-The healthy lifestyle community program cohort 3 study.

Background: World-wide the prevalence of obesity is high, and promoting a shift toward more healthful and more plant-based dietary patterns appears to be one promising strategy to address this issue. A dietary score to assess adherence to a healthy plant-based diet is the healthful plant-based diet index. While there is evidence from cohort studies that an increased healthful plant-based diet index is associated with improved risk markers, evidence from intervention studies is still lacking.

Exploratory analysis of the effect of a controlled lifestyle intervention on inflammatory markers - the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (cohort 2).

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and mortality. The objective of the study was to test the effect of a healthy lifestyle intervention on biomarkers of inflammation (among other risk markers).

Methods: We conducted a non-randomized controlled trial with mostly middle-aged and elderly participants from the general population in rural northwest Germany (intervention: n = 114; control: n = 87).

Healthy lifestyle changes favourably affect common carotid intima-media thickness: the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (cohort 2).

Common carotid intima-media thickness (ccIMT) progression is a risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas healthy lifestyle habits are associated with lower ccIMT. The objective of the present study was to test whether a healthy lifestyle intervention can beneficially affect ccIMT progression. A community-based non-randomised, controlled lifestyle intervention was conducted, focusing on a predominantly plant-based diet (strongest emphasis), physical activity, stress management and social health.

Effect of a 1-Year Controlled Lifestyle Intervention on Body Weight and Other Risk Markers (the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme, Cohort 2).

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity is high and increasing worldwide. Obesity is generally associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and mortality. The objective of the study was to test the effect of a lifestyle intervention on body weight and other chronic disease risk markers.