The Effect of a Plant-Based Diet on Cholesterol Levels, Perceived Stress, and Perceived Well-Being of Patients Diagnosed with Hyperlipidemia: A Quality Improvement Project

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in America. The role of primary care in mitigating the prevalence of heart disease is to identify and reduce risk factors. One of the primary risk factors is atherosclerosis which can lead to coronary arterial disease if uncontrolled. A plant based/vegan diet is the safest and one of the most effective modalities for reducing the risk of or even reversing atherosclerosis and associated heart disease. This DNP project sought to assess the effectiveness of a 6-week plant-based diet intervention on cholesterol, perceived wellbeing, and perceived stress on patients diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. After the 6-week intervention period, there was an average 10.2% decrease in total cholesterol, 17.1% drop in LDL cholesterol, and an 8.7% increase in HDL cholesterol. Furthermore, 100% of participants recorded an increased sense of perceived wellbeing and there was an average 44% decrease in self-reported stress levels. The results of this study suggest that the plant-based diet intervention is an effective method for not only lowering cholesterol and the risk for heart disease but for also improving wellbeing and lowering stress. However, further investigation with a larger, more diverse sample is necessary.