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Study about vegetarian and vegan nutrition

COPLANT enlightens the effects of a plant-based diet

Are vegetarians and vegans adequately supplied with vitamins and minerals?  What effect does a limited or no intake of animal-based foods have on the metabolism? What impact do these particular diets have on the environment and what are the economic and social consequences? The COPLANT Study, planned to start 2023, aims to answer these questions and many more. Approximately, 6000 people will not only be surveyed but also thoroughly examined.

The main goal of the COPLANT Study, which consists of eight Study Centers across Germany, is to answer upcoming questions concerning a vegetarian and vegan diet. Each study center including the Max Rubner-Insitute will recruit, interview, and examine 800 people between the ages 18 and 69, that have followed their preferred diet for at least a year.

In this multi-centered Study health effects as well as possible risks of different diets (vegan: no animal products; vegetarian: no meat or fish products but milk products with/without eggs; pescetarian: no meat but fish) will be examined and compared to an omnivorous (meat, fish, and plant products) diet. Beyond the health aspects a sustainability analysis, which examines the ecological, economical, and social effects, will be conducted for these diets. The Max Rubner-Institute in collaboration with the Thünen-Institute is responsible for the sustainability analysis. In the last few years a huge range of novel milk and meat alternative products have entered the market. These alternative products, which are usually ultra-processed, in relation to health, are being given special attention at the MRI.

One of the main pillars of this elaborate study is the NutriDiary App, designed specifically to easily record the dietary intake of participants no matter what is consumed. Furthermore, topics such as dietary behaviour and lifestyle are included. Last but not least biospecimens such as blood, urine and stool will be collected, analyzed and examined in conjunction with the specific diet.

The upcoming Study will be conducted at the following eight study centers: German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment, Berlin, Max Rubner-Institute, Karlsruhe, Rhine Friedrich-Wilhelms-University of Bonn, Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Research Center for Plant-based Nutrition, Gießen, in collaboration with the Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, University of Regensburg, Christian-Albrecht-University of Kiel. It is possible that in the future other study centers will join.