Plant-Forward Dietary Patterns and Cardiometabolic Risk Among US Adults: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2023

Darren Lov

doi:10.5888/pcd23.260232

Plant-Forward Dietary Patterns and Cardiometabolic Risk Among US Adults: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2023

RESEARCH BRIEF — Volume 23 — November 5, 2026

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Adjusted cardiometabolic outcomes across tertiles of plant-forward dietary score. Points represent adjusted mean BMI and adjusted predicted probabilities of obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes among participants with low, moderate, and high adherence to the plant-forward dietary pattern, NHANES, 2009–2023. Error bars indicate 95% CIs. Estimates were derived from survey-weighted multivariable regression models adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, poverty-to-income ratio, food security, physical activity, total energy intake, and NHANES survey cycle. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index, NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Outcome	Tertile	Predicted (95% CI)
BMI	Low	29.98 (29.73–30.24)
	Moderate	29.29 (29.05–29.52)
	High	28.53 (28.28–28.78)
Diabetes, %	Low	14.4 (13.16–15.64)
	Moderate	12.88 (12.03–13.72)
	High	11.2 (10.37–12.04)
Obesity, %	Low	42.25 (40.44–44.06)
	Moderate	39.16 (37.54–40.77)
	High	34.33 (32.41–36.25)
Prediabetes, %	Low	21.51 (20.28–22.74)
	Moderate	20.15 (18.92–21.38)
	High	20.28 (19.08–21.48)

Figure. Adjusted cardiometabolic outcomes across tertiles of plant-forward dietary score. Points represent adjusted mean BMI and adjusted predicted probabilities of obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes among participants with low, moderate, and high adherence to the plant-forward dietary pattern, NHANES, 2009–2023. Error bars indicate 95% CIs. Estimates were derived from survey-weighted multivariable regression models adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, poverty-to-income ratio, food security, physical activity, total energy intake, and NHANES survey cycle. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index, NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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