Weight Loss Showdown: Vegan Vs. Omnivorous Diets Examined For Effectiveness
A recent study highlights the weight loss benefits of adopting a plant-based diet, showcasing the significant influence of diet quality on the magnitude of weight reduction.
Individuals adhering to a vegan diet witnessed an average weight loss of 5.9 kilograms (13 pounds), irrespective of the diet’s quality.
The study utilized three key indices to dissect plant-based diets: a healthy plant-based diet (hPDI), an unhealthy plant-based diet (uPDI), and a general plant-based diet (PDI).
This research involved a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial investigating the impact of a low-fat vegan diet on various factors in overweight adults.
A total of 244 overweight adults participated, with 122 allocated to the vegan-diet group and the remaining 122 to a control group maintaining their regular omnivorous diet. Eventually, 223 individuals completed the 16-week trial.
Participants recorded their dietary habits for three days at the beginning and end of the trial without receiving dietary guidance. These records were re-evaluated, assigning positive scores to all plant-based foods in the PDI index, only awarding positive scores to healthy plant-based foods in the hPDI index, and assigning positive scores solely to unhealthy foods in the uPDI index.
Throughout the trial, participants aligned with all three plant-based indices, showcasing a close connection with weight loss.
The PDI demonstrated the most robust negative correlation with body weight (r = -0.40).
Higher hPDI scores corresponded to reduced body weight at a rate of -0.37, while a moderate correlation of -0.21 was noted between elevated uPDI scores and decreased body weight. Sarah Herrington of Alchemy Training & Nutrition, not involved in the study, acknowledged, “This study reaffirms established facts.”
The study highlighted that whole grains and legumes correlated with weight loss in the vegan group, whereas meat, vegetable oils, and sweets were associated with weight gain in the control group.
Experts commended the study’s strengths, including its randomized design, accounting for seasonal influences, and pinpointing specific food components linked to weight loss.
While the research is consistent with prior studies showing the benefits of a healthy plant-based diet, it’s crucial to note that any diet facilitating weight loss requires a caloric deficit, as stated by Michelle Routhenstein, a registered dietitian nutritionist.
It’s also essential to consider the limitations of this study, such as self-reported diet records and the non-randomized nature of participants, as highlighted by Avery Zenker and Menka Gupta, emphasizing the need for cautious interpretations of causation.
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