The COPLANT Study - Research on Plant-Based Nutrition
Background
COPLANT means COhort on PLANT-based diet and is up to this date the largest planned cohort study on plant-based nutrition in all German-speaking countries. The term “plant-based diet” is an expression that has been coined recently, especially within the last years. It defines diets, only containing plant-based components, as there are vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, oils, (whole grain) cereals and legumes. Depending on the diet, dairy products, fish, seafood and eggs may be added. The following plant-based diets are the subject of the COPLANT study:
- Vegan (no animal products)
- Vegetarian (no meat and fish, but dairy products and eggs)
- Pescetarian (no meat but fish)
Study objective and cooperation partners
Specifics of data collection
The nutrition of all participants is recorded in detail on different days using a cell-phone based app specially adapted for the study. In contrast to previous studies, the consumption of newly invented vegan and vegetarian foods can also be comprehensively determined. In addition, the study will examine whether the respective diet is accompanied by the intake of heavy metals, mould toxins or other undesirable substances. Nutritional status is measured using biomarkers in blood and urine. Submitting a stool sample makes it possible to investigate associations between the different diets and the microbiota. There are no limitations for pregnant and breastfeeding women in COPLANT. They can also take part in the study. To complete the information taken, aspects relevant to sustainability in nutritional behaviour are analysed too.
Follow-up of study participants for at least 20 years
In order to establish connections between diet and typical widespread diseases such as e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, it is planned to follow up with the study participants after at least 20 years. The collected data can provide valuable insights for new prevention and therapy concepts in the future.
Key data on the course of study
COPLANT in figures
- Eight study centres (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Berlin), Research Institute for Plant-Based Nutrition (Giessen), Friedrich Schiller University (Jena), Max Rubner Institute (Karlsruhe), Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University (Bonn), Ruprecht Karl University Heidelberg, University of Regensburg and University of Vienna)
- Approximately 6,000 subjects aged 18-69 years on a vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian or mixed diet (800 per study centres, 200 per diet).
- 20 year follow-up