The China Study[1] is a really good book that contains a lot of research about the effect on chronic disease a vegan diet has. I found it very interesting.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implicat...

This was some years ago now, but I saw the PI of the Nurses's Health Study [0] (I don't remember if it was Speizer or Willett; probably Willet) give a talk at Harvard. This was just after I read The China Study [1] -- a book recommended by Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, which was given to participants of this study. The recommendations of the NHS [2] seem to disagree with the more extreme diets of TCS and this study. I asked about this in the Q&A. The speaker dismissed TCS, saying that the their data did not in fact support their conclusions. It seems Willett and Campbell have had an ongoing exchange [3] in the literature.

edit: Here are two critiques of The China Study: http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/China-Study.html http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fal...

I'd be quite interested if and how these criticisms of The China Study apply to this study.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurses%27_Health_Study

[1] http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implicat...

[2] "A Mediterranean-type diet reduces risk of incident CHD and stroke. Fish intake reduces risk of stroke. Nut and wholegrain consumption reduces risk of CHD. Refined carbohydrates and trans fats increase risk.", see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurses%27_Health_Study

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study#Reception