The Cohort on Plant-based Diets (COPLANT) study is a multi-centre cohort study that starts baseline recruitment from 2024 to 2027 with approximately 6,000 participants in Germany and Austria. The COPLANT study focuses on vegan (no animal products), vegetarian (no meat and fish, but dairy products and eggs), pescetarian (no meat, but fish) and omnivorous (mixed diet including all possible animal products) diets. The aim of the COPLANT study is to gain new insights on health benefits and risks as well as social, ecological and economic effects of different plant-based diets in comparison to a mixed diet. In addition to a detailed dietary survey using an app adapted to the needs of this study, the baseline examination includes measurements of body composition, bone health, cardiovascular risk factors, diabetes risk, contaminants and lifestyle. For the basic laboratory program, fasting blood, 24-hour urine collection and a stool sample are taken from all study participants. Furthermore, specific aspects of dietary behavior, physical activity and other lifestyle factors are collected via questionnaires. Follow-up studies are planned at intervals of 5, 10 and 20 years after the baseline visit.
age between 18 and 69 years at recruitment (age-stratified recruitment in four age groups (18 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49 and 50 to 69 years) which should be equally distributed across the four diets)
following their current diet for at least one year
health insured
are willing to have blood taken (adults)
who can no longer be contacted
who withdraw their consent to participate in the study
Vegans - no consumption of animal products (less than one exception per month) Vegetarians * no consumption of meat and fish (less than one exception per month) * consumption of eggs and/or dairy products (at least once a month) Pescetarians * no consumption of meat (less than one exception per month) * consumption of fish (at least once a month) * consumption of eggs or dairy products possible Omnivores/ mixed diet - group of non-exposed persons or control group \- consumption of meat or sausage (at least once a month).
Cohort
Prospective
Not listed
Incidence of diabetes type 2
Incidence of diabetes type 2
Incidence of cardiovascular diseases
Incidence of cardiovascular diseases
Incidence of cancer
Incidence of cancer
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 (pmol/l)
Holo-transcobalamine
Holo-transcobalamine (pmol/l),
Heavy metals
Arsenic, lead, cadmium (µg/l)
Halogenated, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (dioxins)
Dioxins (ng/g lipid)
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins (ng/ml)
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
PFAS (ng/ml)
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
Lead sponsor
Max Rubner-Institut
Collaborator
University of Bonn
Collaborator
Research Institute for Plant-Based Nutrition
Collaborator
University of Jena
Collaborator
University of Regensburg
Collaborator
Heidelberg University
Collaborator
University of Vienna
Collaborator
