Medical Journal Publications

Please review our list of published studies below that resulted from donors’ generosity in the past.

Women’s Health

Ferreri DM, Sutliffe JT, Lopez NV, Sutliffe CA, Smith R, Carreras-Gallo N, Dwaraka VB, Prestrud AA, Fuhrman JH. Slower Pace of Epigenetic Aging and Lower Inflammatory Indicators in Females Following a Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Rich Diet Than Those in Females Following the Standard American Diet. Current Developments in Nutrition 2024, 8.

Summary: In this study, epigenetic aging was compared between 48 women who had followed the Nutritarian diet for five years or more and 49 women following a standard American diet (SAD). Women on the Nutritarian diet showed slower biological aging, lower dietary inflammatory potential, and changes in methylation-predicted immune cell profiles suggesting lower inflammatory status - lower levels of neutrophils and higher levels of T regulatory cells. Epigenetic indicators representing LDL cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and blood glucose were also lower Nutritarian diet participants, suggesting lower inflammation and better cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Sutliffe, J. T., Gardner, J. C., Wetzel, W. S., Carnot, M. J., & Adams, A. E. M. (2020).  Protocol and Preliminary Results of the Nutritarian Women’s Health Study: A Longitudinal Effectiveness-Implementation Hybrid Study Assessing Dietary Intake and Health Outcomes. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827619897581

McNelly, AP, Eaves, ER, Gardner, JC, Wetzel, WS, Sutliffe, JT. (2021; under review). A Qualitative Exploration of Pregnancy Experience with a Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Rich Dietary Pattern: A Pilot Study. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

Sutliffe,  JT, Gardner, JC,  Carnot, MJ, Lopez, N, Adams, A.. (2021; In preparation). Results of the Nutritarian Women’s Health Study: Cohort 1.

Summary: The first publication from the study described the protocol and provided initial data on the participants including demographics, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio, history of breast cancer, and adherence to the Nutritarian diet. In participants with high waist-to-hip ratio, a decrease in waist-to-hip ratio was found over the initial period of the study (from enrollment to December 2018. Future studies will assess longer-term weight, health, and disease trends, as well as the effectiveness of the online educational program.

Disease Prevention & Reversal

Fuhrman JH, Ferreri DM. Nuts And Seeds For Heart Disease Prevention. International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 2020; 2(1), 8.

Summary: This review article describes the scientific basis of and evidence supporting the role of nuts and seeds in prevention and reversal of heart disease. The article discusses the strong inverse association between nut consumption and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular health-promoting mechanisms of nuts and seeds, including cholesterol-lowering, reducing glycemic load, aiding in weight maintenance, enhancing endothelial function, and potential anti-arrhythmic effects.  

Maldonado-Puebla M, Price A, Gonzalez A, Fuhrman J, Nichols A. Efficacy of a Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Diet as Monotherapy in Psoriasis. International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 2019, 1:1. 

Summary: This case report presents a patient with a 35-year history of psoriasis who adopted a Nutritarian diet and was able to resolve her psoriasis. The anti-inflammatory aspects of the diet and additional potential mechanisms that may address psoriasis are discussed.

Fuhrman JH, Ferreri DM. Treatment and Remission of Symptoms in Type 1 Diabetes with a Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Rich (NDPR) Diet – Case Studies. International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 2019; 1:1.

Summary: Although type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease rather than a lifestyle-related disease, diet and lifestyle factors affect glycemic control, risk of cardiovascular disease, and risk of complications in patients with type 1 diabetes. This article presented three case studies of patients with type 1 diabetes, two children and one adult, who adopted a Nutritarian diet. One child who began a Nutritarian diet immediately after diagnosis has not yet required insulin therapy. The other child maintains a low insulin dose and improved the consistency of his blood glucose readings. The adult patient reduced his insulin dose and C-reactive protein levels and has maintained favorable HbA1c and cardiovascular risk marker levels since his change to a Nutritarian diet.

Weight Maintenance & Improved Health

Fuhrman JH, Ferreri DM, Singer ML. Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance on a Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Rich (NDPR) Diet: A Survey Study. International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 2019; 1:1.

Summary: This survey study built on a previous publication from the same survey reporting on cardiovascular risk factors. Participants answered survey questions about their weight prior to and at several points after adopting a Nutritarian diet. Overall, those with overweight BMI pre-diet reported average weight loss of 20 lbs. and 36.3 lbs. in those with obese BMI pre-diet. Respondents who reported greater adherence to the dietary guidelines lost more weight. Those who reported body weight at 1, 2, and 3 years of a Nutritarian diet and at least 80% adherence to the diet lost an average of 29.7 lbs., and a minority (18.9%) experienced regain of 5 lbs. or more, suggesting meaningful total weight loss and weight loss maintenance. These results suggest that initial weight losses were maintained over the long-term, providing justification for a future intervention study using the Nutritarian diet for long-term weight loss maintenance.

Jay Sutliffe, Julia Scheid, Michelle Gorman, Mary Jo Carnot, Alison Adams, Wendy Wetzel, Tricia Fortin, Chloe Sutliffe, Joel Fuhrman Implementation of a Worksite Based 9-Week Micronutrient Dense Nutrition Intervention on Measures of Well-Being in a Cohort of Employees.  J Food Nutr 2018;4:103.

Summary: This review article provided an overview and summary of workplace interventions utilizing the Nutritarian diet that had previously been published. Overall, there were significant improvements in weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference, total and LDL cholesterol, and glucose levels in these studies.

Sutliffe JT, Carnot MJ, Fuhrman J, Sutliffe CA, Scheid JC. A Worksite Nutrition Intervention is Effective at Improving Employee Well-Being: A Pilot Study. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism 2018.

Summary: This intervention study encompassed three workplaces in Arizona and 51 employees. Participants were provided with 6 hours of nutrition education, followed by weekly one-hour meetings for 9 weeks, focusing on how to implement a Nutritarian diet. Well-being and work productivity measures, as well as BMI, waist and hip circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Following the intervention, improvements were reported in sleep quality, quality of life, depressive symptoms, work productivity, body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.  The improvements in quality-of-life scores correlated with attendance at weekly meetings.

Sutliffe J. Scheid J. Gorman M, Adams A, Carnot MJ, Wetzel W, Fortin T, Sutliffe C, Fuhrman J. Worksite Nutrition: Is a Nutrient-Dense Diet the Answer for a Healthier Workforce? American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Published online April 9, 2018.

Summary: This publication reported on employee well-being measures, including sleep quality, quality of life, and depressive symptoms in 35 employees with BMI at least 25 who participated in a six-week workplace Nutritarian diet intervention. Participants attended two days of lectures explaining the diet, followed by six one-hour weekly meetings that included instruction, support, encouragement, social interaction with other participants, and cooking demonstration. Improvements in sleep quality, quality of life, and depressive symptoms were reported.

Sutliffe JT, Fuhrman J, Carnot MJ, Beetham R. Nutrient-dense, Plant-rich Dietary Intervention

Effective at Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors for Worksites: A Pilot Study. Alternative Therapies. Sept/Oct 2016;22(5):32-36.

Summary: This pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of a Nutritarian dietary intervention in 35 employees at a workplace, and the effectiveness for improving cardiovascular risk factors. Employees were overweight and willing to make a lifestyle change. Risk factors, including BMI, cholesterol levels, and glucose levels improved, demonstrating the intervention was feasible and effective.