This document summarizes research from the Adventist Health Studies examining the relationship between lifestyle, diet, and disease risk factors like obesity. It finds that among Seventh-day Adventists, who emphasize healthy living, vegetarian diets are associated with lower rates of hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome compared to non-vegetarian diets. Studies also show that maintaining a healthy weight throughout life, rather than weight gain, is associated with greater longevity. The document concludes that as a faith community, Adventists can help address obesity by continuing to promote healthy lifestyles and plant-based diets to future generations.
13. Adventist Health Studies
USA, 1958-2012 BRHS
2006-
11,000
AMS 1958-1985
1958 1966 1974
23,000 SDA
1988 2001 2002-
AHS-2 2011
96,000 SDA
25+ years 5,700 30+ years
California overlap USA & Canada
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
AHSMOG 1977-2002 AHSMOG-2
6,328 SDA 2002-
25+ years 96,000 SDA
12,000 California 30+ years
overlap AHS-1 1974-1988
USA & Canada
34,192 SDA
25+ years
California
14. Studying Seventh-day Adventists
STRENGTHS –
• homogeneous in many lifestyle choices
• heterogeneous in nutritional habits - wide range from
strict vegetarian to regular American diet.
• Very low smoking and alcohol use: can study effect of
lifestyle without the confounding or modifying effects of
these.
.