Fig. 4

Association of the gut microbial signatures related to plant-based dietary patterns with cardiometabolic biomarkers. The Sankey chart on the left shows the significant microbial signatures of long-term and short-term plant-based dietary pattern and its constituent food groups. The heatmap in the right shows the association between microbial signatures identified and cardiometabolic biomarkers measured after 3 years. Beta coefficients were derived from the linear regression model, adjusted for baseline age, sex, and corresponding cardiometabolic biomarkers measured in 2015 and expressed as the difference in cardiometabolic biomarkers (in standard deviation unit). Correction for multiple testing (FDR) was applied. CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; FDR, false discovery rate; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; hPDI, healthful plant-based diet index; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; PDI, plant-based diet index; Q, quintile; TC, total cholesterol; TG, total triglycerides; uPDI, unhealthful plant-based diet index. * FDR q < 0.25, ** FDR q < 0.05