Ringing in the new year as a major title in the health documentary scene, “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment” is a Netflix documentary series released at the start of January, spotlighting an identical twin study conducted by Stanford University that featured the contributions of UCI Public Health assistant professor of population health and disease prevention, Matthew J. Landry, Ph.D., RDN, FAND, FAHA.
Landry was the first author on a study, titled “Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs. Vegan Diets in Identical Twins,” during his time as a postdoctoral researcher under the mentorship of Christopher Gardner, the lead researcher.
The study unfolded over eight weeks and featured twenty-two sets of genetically identical twins placed on either omnivorous (plants and animal) or vegan diets. As the series unfolds, viewers are taken through the riveting journey of the study, revealing compelling results that showcase the profound positive impact of a vegan diet on cardiovascular health. Lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), insulin, and body weight were observed in subjects who stuck to a vegan diet compared to their omnivore counterparts.
“What I hope for is that the documentary encourages viewers to at least consider the option of plant-based foods or meals within their everyday diet,” says Landry, “And slightly shifting folks more towards plant-based dietary patterns could be beneficial not just for their health, but also in areas such as the environment.”
Both the study and the documentary were published simultaneously following the 8-week evidence-based research study. “Seeing the everyday lives of some of the twins in our study portrayed in the documentary adds a human touch to our findings”, says Landry. Except for an initial meeting at the start of the study, the researchers, including Landry, operated behind the scenes and focused on data collection to maintain the integrity of the research and activities.
“Our studies often don’t always get attention outside of academia, so it’s been exciting to see our research being featured in the Netflix documentary and viewed and discussed by a global audience,” added Landry.
Landry’s current work revolves around identifying diets for chronic disease prevention, with a keen interest in promoting plant-forward and plant-based diets through behavioral interventions. Looking ahead, he plans to delve further into his previous research from Stanford and explore follow-up studies stemming from the Netflix-featured twin experiment. His future aspirations include initiating similar studies focusing on plant-based diets and their holistic benefits on personal well-being and health.
