Adventist Health Study.

This long-term medical research project conducted by Loma Linda University aims to study the relationship between lifestyle, diet and health amongst Seventh-day Adventists. The first study, Adventist Mortality Study, 1960-1965 demonstrated that Adventists in California lived longer than non Adventists. There were significant reductions in death rates from all cancers and coronary heart disease.

A subsequent study, Adventist health study 1, 1974-1988 was designed to find out which component of the Adventist lifestyle gave them protection against poor health. The strategy promoted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church including not smoking, eating a vegetarian diet, eating nuts and taking regular exercise. These factors were found to be associated with several years of lifespan gained.

The Adventist Health Study 2 began in 2002 with the aim of exploring the links between lifestyle, diet and disease amongst a larger number of Adventists in America and Canada. So far the study has demonstrated that vegetarianism increases longevity and is protective against obesity. Type 2 diabetes risk was reduced and both blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels were better when compared to non-vegetarians. There were lower cardiovascular disease rates and lower cancer rates overall.