Evidence from Studies

The Adventist Advantage

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Adventists pioneers in health.

GOD has blessed the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a healing ministry to make man whole.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 First Adventist Health Studies 1960 -1985 1974 -1988

Limited to Adventists in California. Tens of thousands responded

More than 125 scientific articles have been published with many ground-breaking discoveries.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 30 years ago 34,000 Adventists in California:

• Made many health discoveries • Provided evidence that helped change health policies to improve health for millions of people

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Did You Know?

The earlier Adventist Health Studies in 1960 and 1976 were among the first epidemiological studies to discover many links between and health.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 An Extra 10 Years of Life Adventist Health Study-1 demonstrated that 5 simple habits Adventists have promoted for over 100 years extend their life by as much as 10 years in both men and women § Regular exercise § Eating plant-based diet § Eating small amounts of nuts regularly § Maintaining normal body weight § Not smoking

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Health Habits and Life Expectancy in Adventists

Men Women ‘Better Habits’1 87.0 years 88.5 years

‘Poorer Habits’2 76.2 years 79.8 years

Difference 10.8 years 8.7 years

1Vegetarians who exercise vigorously at least 3 times weekly, eat nuts >4 times each week. BMI < 25.90 (males), <25.20 (females), never smokers. 2 Converse of the above, including eating nuts <1/week, BMI greater than limits shown above.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Effects of Individual Risk Factors To Increase Life Expectancy

Variable Men Women Vegetarian diet 2.38 yrs 1.65 yrs Vigorous Exercise 2.14 yrs 2.19 yrs Frequent Consumption 2.87 yrs 1.18 yrs Avoid High BMI 1.51 yrs 1.90 yrs Never Smoked 1.33 yrs 1.49 yrs

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Fatal Heart Californians & Adventists 1976-88

Californians

SDA Males

SDA Females

45-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Years Cancer Comparisons Californians & Adventists 1976-88

Californians-all cancers 100%

Prostate 103%

Breast 78%

Colon 67%

Bladder 46%

Stomach 41% Kidney 40%

Lung 20% © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Life Expectancy AHS-1 1976-88

Cal. SDA Veg. SDA 85.7 83.3 83.9 Years 81.2 of life 79.5

73.9

Males Females © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Proportions of Subjects Surviving to Ages 65 and 85

% males surviving % females surviving Country To age 65 To age 85 To age 65 To age 85 Australia 75 18 86 38 Canada 75 20 86 40 Hungary 61 8 79 21 Japan 81 24 90 41 Sweden 79 20 88 40 UK 75 15 85 33 USA 72 20 84 39

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Proportions of Subjects Surviving to Ages 65 and 85

% males surviving % females surviving Country To age 65 To age 85 To age 65 To age 85 Australia 75 18 86 38 Canada 75 20 86 40 Hungary 61 8 79 21 Japan 81 24 90 41 Sweden 79 20 88 40 UK 75 15 85 33 USA 72 20 84 39 California SDA 87 41 89 54 California SDA Vegetarians 89 49 94 60

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Diet & Weight AHS-1 1976-88

Veg, Semi Veg. Non Veg.

183 169 176 Weight 152 in pounds 139 145

Male Female © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Fruits & vegetables reduce cancer risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Fruit & Lung Cancer AHS-1 1976-88

<3/wk <1/day >1/day

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Meat increases risk of colon cancer.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Meats & Colon Cancer AHS-1 1976-88

Never <1/wk 1+/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Red Meat & Colon Cancer AHS-1 1976-88

Never <1/wk 1+/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 White Meat & Colon Ca AHS-1 1976-88

Never <1/wk 1+/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Beans reduce colon cancer risk.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 & Colon Cancer AHS-1 1976-88

<1/wk 1-2/wk >2/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Tomatoes reduce risk.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Tomatoes & Prostate Ca AHS-1 1976-88

<1/wk 1-4/wk >4/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Legumes & Prostate Ca AHS-1 1976-88

<1/wk 1-2/wk >2/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Soy Milk & Prostate Ca AHS-1 1976-88

Never <1/day 1/day >1/day

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Meat Consumption and Cancer Meat Frequency Cancer Site Never <1/week >1/week Colon 1.00 1.50 1.85 Prostate* 1.00 1.15 1.41 Ovary 1.00 1.39 1.75 (Postmenopausal 1.00 1.59 2.30 <3/week >3/week Bladder 1.00 2.38

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Nuts reduce risk of heart disease.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Nuts & CHD Risk AHS-1 1976-88

<1/wk 1-4/wk >4/wk

Relative Risk

Male Female © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Nuts & CHD Risk AHS-1 1976-88

<1/wk 1-4/wk >4/wk

Relative Risk

Vegetarian Non-Vegetarian © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Meat increases risk of heart disease in men.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Beef & Fatal CHD Risk AHS-1 1976-88

Never <3/wk 3+/wk

Relative Risk

Male Female © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Fish & CHD Risk AHS-1 1976-88

Never <1/wk 1+/wk

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

Whole wheat bread reduces heart disease.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Bread & CHD Risk AHS-1 1976-88

White Mixed Whole

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 1st to discover!

5 + glasses of water a day lowers heart disease risk.

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2

Risk of FATAL CHD according to WATER INTAKE Males & Females (n= 27,342)

1.6 Age adjusted 1.4 1.2 1 1 1 0.8 Glasses/day RR 0.6 0.6 0.64 <=2 0.4 0.53 0.46 3 to 4 0.2 5+ 0 Events 23 39 53 25 51 49 Women Men © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 Exercise & All Deaths AHS-1 1976-88

Low Medium High

Relative Risk

© 2004 Adventist Health Study-2 © 2004 Adventist Health Study-2