给出一篇英文新闻报道的摘要，并提供是否可以相信该报道的原因。
请提供一篇英文新闻报道的摘要，并简要说明读者可以相信该报道的原因。
英文新闻报道摘要： 

According to a new study, people who eat a plant-based diet may have a lower risk of developing severe COVID-19. The study found that COVID-19 patients who followed plant-based diets were less likely to require hospitalization or mechanical ventilation compared to those who consumed animal products. The researchers suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based foods may be responsible for the protective effect. 

可信度原因： 

读者可以相信这篇报道，因为它是基于一项研究所报道的，该研究为科学家们提供了相关数据和结论。报道也没有夸大或误导读者，只是简单地概述了研究结果。此外，该报道还提供了具体的科学解释，解释了为什么植物性食品可能会对COVID-19病情产生保护作用。