Nutritional, Health and Lifestyle Status of a Highly Physically Active and Health-Conscious Long-Term Vegan Man: A Case Report from Slovenia

Abstract

Adopting a vegan diet as a long-term diet has recently become a new global trend among healthy and physically active adult populations. Unfortunately, scarce scientific data are available on the nutritional and health status and lifestyle patterns of long-term highly physically active vegan populations. In the present case study, we present the results of the nutritional, health and lifestyle status of a highly physically active and health-conscious long-term vegan man. The following research methods were used to assess overall health and lifestyle status: (i) analysis of blood serum (selected cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., lipoproteins, triglycerides, glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, and homocysteine), safety markers (e.g., insulin-like growth factor 1, total testosterone, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, uric acid, and creatinine), and micronutrients (e.g., vitamin B12, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, iron and ferritin); (ii) erythrocyte membranes analysis (omega-3 index); (iii) urine sample analysis (creatinine and iodine); (iv) blood pressure measurement; (v) bioimpedance and densitometry measurement (initial and current anthropometric variables and body composition); (vi) seven-day weighted dietary records (energy and nutrient intake from regular foods only were compared with the recommended daily intake); and (vii) standardized questionnaires (sociodemographic status, economic status and lifestyle status). The most remarkable results related to dietary intake were high energy (4420 kcal/d) and fibre intake (143 g/d) and nutritional sufficiency from foods only compared with dietary recommendations, with the exception of eicosapentaenoic omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Overall dietary acid load (DAL) scores, calculated from the potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAPF), were rated as lower compared to those of other dietary patterns. In addition, we found that the overall health and lifestyle status of the subject was satisfactory, with some minor deviations that we interpreted.