A study found that while US cardiologists recommend a plant-based diet to their patients to prevent cardiovascular diseases, very few actually follow this diet themselves. Only 8% of cardiologists comply with their own advice and personally follow a whole-food plant-based diet. Despite the known harms of red meat, the study found that only 8% of respondents actively avoid red meat, with a majority focusing more on abstaining from alcohol, maintaining strong social connections, and incorporating physical activity into patient care.

The survey also revealed that 87% of US cardiologists had not received formal training in lifestyle medicine, including a whole-food plant-based diet. This lack of training contributes to a gap between knowledge and behavior in the medical sector. The authors of the study suggest that integrating formal training in lifestyle medicine into cardiology education could help bridge this gap and improve physician wellbeing, as well as provide more effective counseling for patients.