title: The effects of a low-fat, plant-based dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the effect of a low-fat, plant-based diet on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, while controlling for exercise in free-living individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an outpatient setting, 64 overweight, postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to a low-fat, vegan diet or a control diet based on National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines, without energy intake limits, and were asked to maintain exercise unchanged. Dietary intake, body weight and composition, resting metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, and insulin sensitivity were measured at baseline and 14 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean +/- standard deviation intervention-group body weight decreased 5.8 +/- 3.2 kg, compared with 3.8 +/- 2.8 kg in the control group (P = .012). In a regression model of predictors of weight change, including diet group and changes in energy intake, thermic effect of food, resting metabolic rate, and reported energy expenditure, significant effects were found for diet group (P < .05), thermic effect of food (P < .05), and resting metabolic rate (P < .001). An index of insulin sensitivity increased from 4.6 +/- 2.9 to 5.7 +/- 3.9 (P = .017) in the intervention group, but the difference between groups was not significant (P = .17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adoption of a low-fat, vegan diet was associated with significant weight loss in overweight postmenopausal women, despite the absence of prescribed limits on portion size or energy intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Neal D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Scialli
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turner-McGrievy
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lanou
authors.forename: Jolie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glass
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose