A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate whether a low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Individuals with type 2 diabetes (n = 99) were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet (n = 49) or a diet following the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines (n = 50). Participants were evaluated at baseline and 22 weeks.


RESULTS
Forty-three percent (21 of 49) of the vegan group and 26% (13 of 50) of the ADA group participants reduced diabetes medications. Including all participants, HbA(1c) (A1C) decreased 0.96 percentage points in the vegan group and 0.56 points in the ADA group (P = 0.089). Excluding those who changed medications, A1C fell 1.23 points in the vegan group compared with 0.38 points in the ADA group (P = 0.01). Body weight decreased 6.5 kg in the vegan group and 3.1 kg in the ADA group (P < 0.001). Body weight change correlated with A1C change (r = 0.51, n = 57, P < 0.0001). Among those who did not change lipid-lowering medications, LDL cholesterol fell 21.2% in the vegan group and 10.7% in the ADA group (P = 0.02). After adjustment for baseline values, urinary albumin reductions were greater in the vegan group (15.9 mg/24 h) than in the ADA group (10.9 mg/24 h) (P = 0.013).


CONCLUSIONS
Both a low-fat vegan diet and a diet based on ADA guidelines improved glycemic and lipid control in type 2 diabetic patients. These improvements were greater with a low-fat vegan diet.
Barnard
Neal D
ND
Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. nbarnard@pcrm.org
Cohen
Joshua
J
Jenkins
David J A
DJ
Turner-McGrievy
Gabrielle
G
Gloede
Lise
L
Jaster
Brent
B
Seidl
Kim
K
Green
Amber A
AA
Talpers
Stanley
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy*; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose