The Prevalence of Infectious Diseases Among Seventh-Day Adventists: A Systematic Review

Background: Several studies have investigated the incidence of chronic diseases among Adventists, but less is known about the association between the prevalence of infectious diseases and the Adventist lifestyle. Methods: This systematic review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and has been registered on PROSPERO under CRD42024502363. Relevant studies were searched in databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Observational studies reporting on the prevalence or occurrence of infectious diseases within the Adventist community were included if they were published in English language. The included studies were synthesised in the form of a narrative synthesis. Results: The outcomes related to infectious conditions identified were Toxoplasma gondii, Helicobacter pylori, antibodies to Vibrio species and Norwalk virus, upper respiratory infections (URIs), COVID-19 disease, H1N1 influenza, and infectious disease-related mortality. A lower prevalence of some infectious diseases was shown among Adventists. A study noted lower Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in Adventists, and another associated high fruit, vegetable, and water intake with fewer respiratory infections. Conclusions: The Adventist lifestyle may be associated with a lower prevalence of infectious diseases, likely due in part to the Adventist diet. However, further research is needed to clarify the relative contributions of individual lifestyle factors to these protective effects.