Extended essay: To what extent does a plant-based diet lower the risk of coronary artery disease?
I’m going to investigate this topic in order to answer my research question: To what extent
does a plant based diet lower the risk of coronary artery disease?
There are different types of cardiovascular diseases. Some affect the heart’s muscle,
valves or rhythm, but most conditions are caused by the hardening or clogging of arteries.
Coronary artery disease is associated with the hardening of arteries that supply blood to
heart muscle and is, in most cases, preventable and even treatable as it’s often found to
be caused by poor lifestyle choices.1 These lifestyle choices include unhealthy dietary
choices, lack of exercise and cigarette smoking. Other risk factors appear to be diabetes,
high blood pressure, stress and history of heart disease running in the family. 2
A plant based diet is solely based on foods that are derived from plants. Individuals who
follow a plant based diet exclude all animal products from their diet. They don’t consume