A randomized clinical trial of a standard versus vegetarian diet for weight loss: the impact of treatment preference Comparative effectiveness of plant-based diets for weight loss: a randomized controlled trial of five different diets. BLOOD-PRESSURE-LOWERING EFFECT OF A VEGETARIAN DIET: CONTROLLED TRIAL IN NORMOTENSIVE SUBJECTS Effects of a vegetarian diet and treatment preference on biochemical and dietary variables in overweight and obese adults: a randomized clinical trial. Diet and body mass index in 38 000 EPIC-Oxford meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans Effects of an omnivorous diet compared with a lactoovovegetarian diet on resistance-training-induced changes in body composition and skeletal muscle in older men. Spinal bone mineral density in premenopausal vegetarian and nonvegetarian women: cross-sectional and prospective comparisons. Veganism, bone mineral density, and body composition: a study in Buddhist nuns Vegetarianism, bone loss, fracture and vitamin D: a longitudinal study in Asian vegans and non-vegans Predictors of weight change over two years among a population of working adults: the Healthy Worker Project. Vegetarian diet, change in dietary patterns, and diabetes risk: a prospective study The Netherlands Cohort Study – Meat Investigation Cohort; a population-based cohort over-represented with vegetarians, pescetarians and low meat consumers Type of vegetarian diet, obesity and diabetes in adult Indian population Low-Calorie Vegetarian Versus Mediterranean Diets for Reducing Body Weight and Improving Cardiovascular Risk Profile: CARDIVEG Study (Cardiovascular Prevention With Vegetarian Diet) A two-year randomized weight loss trial comparing a vegan diet to a more moderate low-fat diet. Appetite control and biomarkers of satiety with vegetarian (soy) and meat-based high-protein diets for weight loss in obese men: a randomized crossover trial. The Oxford Vegetarian Study: an overview.
Background : With obesity rampant , methods to achieve sustained weight loss remain elusive . Objective : To compare the long-term weight-loss efficacy of 2 cal and fat-restricted diets , st and ard ( omnivorous ) versus lacto – ovo – vegetarian , and to determine the effect of a chosen diet versus an assigned diet . Design , subjects : A r and omized clinical trial was conducted with 176 adults who were sedentary and overweight ( mean body mass index , 34.0 kg/m2 ) . Participants were first r and omly assigned to either receive their preferred diet or be assigned to a diet group and second , were given their diet of preference or r and omly assigned to a st and ard weight-loss diet or a lacto – ovo – vegetarian diet . Participants underwent a university-based weight-control program consisting of daily dietary and exercise goals plus 12 months of behavioral counseling followed by a 6-month maintenance phase . Measurements : Percentage change in body weight , body mass index , waist circumference , low- and high-density lipoprotein , glucose , insulin and macronutrient intake . Results : The program was completed by 132 ( 75 % ) of the participants . At 18 months , mean percentage weight loss was greater ( P=0.01 ) in the two groups that were assigned a diet ( st and ard , 8.0 % ( s.d . , 7.8 % ) ; vegetarian , 7.9 % ( s.d . , 8.1 % ) ) than in those provided the diet of their choice ( st and ard , 3.9 % ( s.d . , 6.1 % ) ; vegetarian , 5.3 % ( s.d . , 6.2 % ) ) . No difference was observed in weight loss between the two types of diet . Over the 18-month program , all groups showed significant weight loss . Conclusions : Participants assigned to their dietary preference did not have enhanced treatment outcomes . However , all groups lost weight with losses ranging from 4 to 8 % at 18 months OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the effect of plant-based diets on weight loss . METHODS Participants were enrolled in a 6-mo , five-arm , r and omized controlled trial in 2013 in South Carolina . Participants attended weekly group meetings , with the exception of the omnivorous group , which served as the control and attended monthly meetings augmented with weekly e-mail lessons . All groups attended monthly meetings for the last 4 mo of the study . Diets did not emphasize caloric restriction . RESULTS Overweight adults ( body mass index 25 - 49.9 kg/m(2 ) ; age 18 - 65 y , 19 % non-white , and 27 % men ) were r and omized to a low-fat , low-glycemic index diet : vegan ( n = 12 ) , vegetarian ( n = 13 )  , pesco-vegetarian ( n =  13  ) , semi-vegetarian  ( n = 13 ) , or omnivorous  ( n = 12 ) . Fifty ( 79 % ) participants completed the study . In intention-to-treat analysis , the linear trend for weight loss across the five groups was significant at both 2 ( P < 0.01 ) and 6 mo ( P < 0.01 ) . At 6 mo , the weight loss in the vegan group ( -7.5 % ± 4.5 % ) was significantly different from the omnivorous ( -3.1 % ± 3.6 % ; P = 0.03 ) , semi-vegetarian ( -3.2 % ± 3.8 % ; P = 0.03 ) , and pesco-vegetarian ( -3.2 % ± 3.4 % ; P = 0.03 ) groups . Vegan participants decreased their fat and saturated fat more than the pesco-vegetarian , semi-vegetarian , and omnivorous groups at both 2 and 6 mo ( P < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Vegan diets may result in greater weight loss than more modest recommendations 59 healthy , omnivorous subjects aged 25 - 63 years were r and omly allocated to a control group , which ate an omnivorous diet for 14 weeks , or to one of two experimental groups , whose members ate an omnivorous diet for the first 2 weeks and a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet for one of two 6-week experimental periods .  Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures did not change in the control group but fell significantly in both experimental groups during the vegetarian diet and rose significantly in the experimental group which reverted to the omnivorous diet . Adjustment of the blood-pressure changes for age , obesity , heart rate , weight change , and blood pressure before dietary change indicated a diet-related fall of some 5 - 6 mm Hg systolic and 2 - 3 mm Hg diastolic . Although the nutrient(s ) causing these blood-pressure changes are unknown , the effects were apparently not mediated by changes in sodium or potassium intake BACKGROUND A vegetarian diet may lead to numerous health benefits , including weight loss . OBJECTIVE We examined the joint effects of personal preference of dietary treatment and a calorie-restricted , low-fat lactoovovegetarian diet ( LOV-D ) compared with a st and ard calorie-restricted , low-fat omnivorous diet ( STD-D ) on changes in weight , total cholesterol , ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol ( LDL : HDL cholesterol ) , triacylglycerols , insulin resistance , and macronutrient intake during an 18-mo study . DESIGN This was a r and omized clinical trial of 176 overweight and obese adults who were recruited and r and omly assigned first to 1 of 2 preference conditions ( yes or no ) . If assigned to Preference-No , they were r and omly assigned to 1 of the 2 diet conditions ( STD-D or LOV-D ) . If assigned to Preference-Yes , they were assigned to the diet they indicated as preferred at screening . The 12-mo intervention was followed by a 6-mo maintenance phase . RESULTS Participants were mainly women ( 86.9 % ) and white ( 70.5 % ) ; 75 % completed the 18-mo study . A significant interaction between preference and dietary treatment was not observed for any of the outcome variables . However , participants in the Preference-No groups significantly decreased their triacylglycerols ( P = 0.04 ) . The only effect observed for diet was a borderline significant decrease in LDL : HDL cholesterol for the LOV-D group ( P = 0.06 ) . Within the LOV-D groups , those who were 100 % adherent to the LOV-D had significant and marginally significant reductions in monounsaturated fat ( P = 0.02 ) and total fat ( P = 0.05 ) intakes at 18 mo . CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that neither prescribing a vegetarian diet nor allowing persons to choose their preferred diet had a significant effect on outcome measures . However , all participants had a significant reduction in total energy and fat intakes and an increase in energy expenditure , which was reflected in reduced body weight . This clinical trial was registered at www . clinical trials.gov as NCT00330629 OBJECTIVE : To compare body mass index ( BMI ) in four diet groups ( meat-eaters , fish-eaters , vegetarians and vegans ) in the Oxford cohort of the European Prospect i ve Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition ( EPIC-Oxford ) and to investigate lifestyle and dietary factors associated with any observed differences . DESIGN : Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported dietary , anthropometric and lifestyle data . PARTICIPANTS : A total of 37 875 healthy men and women aged 20–97 y participating in EPIC-Oxford . RESULTS : Age-adjusted mean BMI was significantly different between the four diet groups , being highest in the meat-eaters ( 24.41 kg/m2 in men , 23.52 kg/m2 in women ) and lowest in the vegans ( 22.49 kg/m2 in men , 21.98 kg/m2 in women ) . Fish-eaters and vegetarians had similar , intermediate mean BMI . Differences in lifestyle factors including smoking , physical activity and education level accounted for less than 5 % of the difference in mean age-adjusted BMI between meat-eaters and vegans , whereas differences in macronutrient intake accounted for about half of the difference . High protein ( as percent energy ) and low fibre intakes were the dietary factors most strongly and consistently associated with increasing BMI both between and within the diet groups . CONCLUSIONS : Fish-eaters , vegetarians and especially vegans had lower BMI than meat-eaters . Differences in macronutrient intakes accounted for about half the difference in mean BMI between vegans and meat-eaters . High protein and low fibre intakes were the factors most strongly associated with increasing BMI BACKGROUND Very limited data suggest that meat consumption by older people may promote skeletal muscle hypertrophy in response to resistance training ( RT ) . OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess whether the consumption of an omnivorous ( meat-containing ) diet would influence RT-induced changes in whole-body composition and skeletal muscle size in older men compared with a lactoovovegetarian ( LOV ) ( meat-free ) diet . DESIGN Nineteen men aged 51 - 69 y participated in the study . During a 12-wk period of RT , 9 men consumed their habitual omnivorous diets , which provided approximately 50 % of total dietary protein from meat sources ( beef , poultry , pork , and fish ) ( mixed-diet group ) . Another 10 men were counseled to self-select an LOV diet ( LOV-diet group ) . RESULTS Maximal strength of the upper- and lower-body muscle groups that were exercised during RT increased by 10 - 38 % ( P < 0.001 ) , independent of diet . The RT-induced changes in whole-body composition and skeletal muscle size differed significantly between the mixed- and LOV-diet groups ( time-by-group interactions , P < 0 . 05 ) . With RT , whole-body density , fat-free mass , and whole-body muscle mass increased in the mixed diet group but decreased in the LOV- diet group . Type II muscle fiber area of the vastus lateralis muscle increased with RT for all men combined ( P < 0.01 ) , and the increase tended to be greater in the mixed-diet group ( 16.2 + /- 4.4 % ) than in the LOV diet group ( 7.3 + /- 5.1 % ) . Type I fiber area was unchanged with RT in both diet groups . CONCLUSION Consumption of a meat-containing diet contributed to greater gains in fat-free mass and skeletal muscle mass with RT in older men than did an LOV diet OBJECTIVE To compare spinal bone mineral density ( BMD ) and 1-year BMD change between premenopausal vegetarian and nonvegetarian women . DESIGN Cross-sectional comparison of spinal BMD at baseline and prospect i ve comparison of a sub sample . SETTING A western Canadian metropolitan area . SUBJECTS/ SAMPLE S Healthy vegetarian ( n = 15 lacto-ovo-vegetarian , n = 8 vegan ) and nonvegetarian ( n = 22 ) women aged 20 to 40 years , with regular menstrual cycles and stable body weight completed baseline measurements . Twenty of these women ( 6 lacto-ovo-vegetarian , 5 vegan , 9 nonvegetarian ) participated in repeat measurements at approximately 13 months . STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED Descriptive statistics , independent sample and paired t tests , 1-way analysis of variance , correlation analysis , and stepwise multiple regression were used to compare groups and to assess associations with BMD . RESULTS At baseline , subjects were 27.2 + /- 5.1 years old . Vegetarians had lower body mass index ( 21.1 + /- 2.3 vs 22.7 + /- 1.9 , P < .05 ) and percent body fat ( 24.0 + /- 5.5 % vs 27.4 + /- 5.1 % , P < .05 ) ; they also tended to have lower BMD ( 1.148 + /- 0.111 g/cm2 vs 1.216 + /- 0.132 g/cm2 , P = .06 ) , although this was not apparent with weight as a covariate ( P = .14 ) . Baseline BMD was predicted by vitamin B-12 intake and total body fat ( R2 = .24 , P = .001 ) . Participants in the follow-up differed only in their being older than non participants . Over 1 year , mean BMD increased significantly ( 1.1 % ) : by diet group , nonvegetarians ' BMD increased but vegetarians ' BMD was unchanged . No other monitored variables were associated with BMD change . APPLICATIONS/ CONCLUSIONS Vegetarian women should be aware of links between low BMD and low body weight/body fat , and should maintain adequate intakes of nutrients believed to affect BMD Summary This cross-sectional study showed that , although vegans had lower dietary calcium and protein intakes than omnivores , veganism did not have adverse effect on bone mineral density and did not alter body composition . Introduction Whether a lifelong vegetarian diet has any negative effect on bone health is a contentious issue . We undertook this study to examine the association between lifelong vegetarian diet and bone mineral density and body composition in a group of postmenopausal women . Methods One hundred and five Mahayana Buddhist nuns and 105 omnivorous women ( average age = 62 , range = 50–85 ) were r and omly sample d from monasteries in Ho Chi Minh City and invited to participate in the study . By religious rule , the nuns do not eat meat or seafood ( i.e. , vegans ) . Bone mineral density ( BMD ) at the lumbar spine ( LS ) , femoral neck ( FN ) , and whole body ( WB ) was measured by DXA ( Hologic QDR 4500 ) . Lean mass , fat mass , and percent fat mass were also obtained from the DXA whole body scan . Dietary calcium and protein intakes were estimated from a vali date d food frequency question naire . Results There was no significant difference between vegans and omnivores in LSBMD ( 0.74 ± 0.14 vs. 0.77 ± 0.14 g/cm2 ; mean ± SD ; P = 0.18 ) , FNBMD ( 0.62 ± 0.11 vs. 0.63 ± 0.11 g/cm2 ; P = 0.35 ) , WBBMD ( 0.88 ± 0.11 vs. 0.90 ± 0.12 g/cm2 ; P = 0.31 ) , lean mass ( 32 ± 5 vs. 33 ± 4 kg ; P = 0.47 ) , and fat mass ( 19 ± 5 vs. 19 ± 5 kg ; P = 0.77 ) either before or after adjusting for age . The prevalence of osteoporosis ( T scores ≤ −2.5 ) at the femoral neck in vegans and omnivores was 17.1 % and 14.3 % ( P = 0.57 ) , respectively . The median intake of dietary calcium was lower in vegans compared to omnivores ( 330 ± 205 vs. 682 ± 417 mg/day , P < 0.001 ) ; however , there was no significant correlation between dietary calcium and BMD . Further analysis suggested that whole body BMD , but not lumbar spine or femoral neck BMD , was positively correlated with the ratio of animal protein to vegetable protein . Conclusion These results suggest that , although vegans have much lower intakes of dietary calcium and protein than omnivores , veganism does not have adverse effect on bone mineral density and does not alter body composition Background / Objectives : The effect of vegan diet on bone loss has not been studied . The aim of this study was to examine the association between veganism and bone loss in postmenopausal women . Subjects/ Methods : The study was design ed as a prospect i ve longitudinal investigation with 210 women , including 105 vegans and 105 omnivores . Femoral neck ( FN ) bone mineral density ( BMD ) was measured in 2008 and 2010 by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( Hologic QDR4500 ) . The incidence of vertebral fracture was ascertained by X-ray report . Serum levels of C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen ( βCTX ) and N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen ( PINP ) were measured by Roche Elecsys assays . Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone were measured by electrochemiluminescence . Results : Among the 210 women who initially participated in the study in 2008 , 181 women had completed the study and 29 women were lost to follow-up . The rate of loss in FN BMD was −1.91±3.45%/year in omnivores and −0.86±3.81%/year ( P=0.08 ) in vegans . Lower body weight , higher intakes of animal protein and lipid , and corticosteroid use were associated with greater rate of bone loss . The 2-year incidence of fracture was 5.7 % ( n=5/88 ) in vegans , which was not significantly different from omnivores ( 5.4 % , n=6/93 ) . There were no significant differences in βCTX and PINP between vegans and omnivores . The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in vegans was higher than in omnivores ( 73 % versus 46 % ; P=0.0003 ) . Conclusions : Vegan diet did not have adverse effect on bone loss and fracture . Corticosteroid use and high intakes of animal protein and animal lipid were negatively associated with bone loss The present study examined behavioural predictors of body weight cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a cohort of 1639 male and 1913 female employees in 32 companies participating in a worksite intervention study for smoking cessation and weight control .  Dietary intake , current and previous dieting behaviours , and physical activity were examined for their association with body weight over the two-year period . Cross-sectionally in both men and women , history of previous dieting , previous participation in a formal weight loss programme , current dieting and meat consumption were positively related to body weight while high intensity activity was negatively related to body weight . Prospect ively , history of participation in a formal weight loss programme and dieting to lose weight at baseline , and increased consumption over time of french fries , dairy products , sweets and meat , independently predicted increases in body weight in women . Women who were dieting to lose weight or who had previously participated in a formal weight loss programme at baseline gained 1.99 lb and 1.74 lb more , respectively , than those who were not dieting to lose weight or who had not previously participated in a formal weight loss programme . Increased exercise , either walking or high intensity activity , predicted decreases in body weight in women ( 1.76 lb and 1.39 lb , respectively , for each session increase per week ) . In men , previous participation in a formal weight loss programme predicted increases in body weight over the two-year period . Men who had previously participated in a formal weight loss programme at baseline gained 4.83 lb more than those who had never previously participated in a formal weight loss programme . Increases in consumption of sweets and egg were prospect ively related to increases in body weight , while increased walking and high intensity activity were related to decreases in body weight ( 0.86 lb and 3.54 lb , respectively , for each session increase per week ) . These results suggest the role that specific diet and exercise behaviours may play in body weight changes over time Background / objectives Vegetarian diets are inversely associated with diabetes in Westerners but their impact on Asians — whose pathophysiology differ from Westerners — is unknown . We aim to investigate the association between a vegetarian diet , change in dietary patterns and diabetes risk in a Taiwanese Buddhist population . Methods We prospect ively followed 2918 non-smoking , non-alcohol drinking Buddhists free of diabetes , cancer , and cardiovascular diseases at baseline , for a median of 5 years , with 183 incident diabetes cases confirmed .  Diet was assessed through a vali date d food frequency question naire at baseline and a simple question naire during follow-ups .  Incident cases of diabetes were ascertained through follow-up question naires , fasting glucose and HbA1C . Stratified Cox Proportional Hazards Regression was used to assess the effect of diets on risk of diabetes . Results Consistent vegetarian diet was associated with 35 % lower hazards ( HR : 0.65 , 95 % CI : 0.46 , 0.92 ) , while converting from a nonvegetarian to a vegetarian pattern was associated with 53 % lower hazards ( HR : 0.47 , 95 % CI : 0.30 , 0.71 ) for diabetes , comparing with nonvegetarians while adjusting for age , gender , education , physical activity , family history of diabetes , follow-up methods , use of lipid-lowering medications , and baseline BMI . Conclusion Vegetarian diet and converting to vegetarian diet may protect against diabetes independent of BMI among Taiwanese Background Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower risk of chronic disease , but little is known about the health effects of low meat diets and the reliability of self-reported vegetarian status . We aim ed to establish an analytical cohort over-represented with vegetarians , pescetarians and 1 day/week meat consumers , and to describe their lifestyle and dietary characteristics . In addition , we were able to compare self-reported vegetarians with vegetarians whose status has been confirmed by their response on the extensive food frequency question naire ( FFQ ) . Study methods Embedded within the Netherl and s Cohort Study ( n = 120,852 ; including 1150 self-reported vegetarians ) , the NLCS-Meat Investigation Cohort ( NLCS-MIC ) was defined by combining all FFQ-confirmed-vegetarians ( n = 702 ) , pescetarians ( n = 394 ) , and 1 day/week meat consumers ( n = 1,396 ) from the total cohort with a r and om sample of 2–5 days/week- and 6–7 days/week meat consumers ( n = 2,965 and 5,648 , respectively ) . Results Vegetarians , pescetarians , and 1 day/week meat consumers had more favorable dietary intakes ( e.g. higher fiber/vegetables ) and lifestyle characteristics ( e.g. lower smoking rates ) compared to regular meat consumers in both sexes . Vegetarians adhered to their diet longer than pescetarians and 1 day/week meat consumers . 75 % of vegetarians with a prevalent cancer at baseline had changed to this diet after diagnosis . 50 % of self-reported vegetarians reported meat or fish consumption on the FFQ . Although the misclassification that occurred in terms of diet and lifestyle when merely relying on self-reporting was relatively small , the impact on associations with disease risk remains to be studied . Conclusion We established an analytical cohort over-represented with persons at the lower end of the meat consumption spectrum which should facilitate prospect i ve studies of major cancers and causes of death using ≥20.3 years of follow-up Background To investigate the prevalence of obesity and diabetes among adult men and women in India consuming different types of vegetarian diets compared with those consuming non-vegetarian diets .  Methods We used cross-sectional data of 156,317 adults aged 20–49 years who participated in India ’s third National Family Health Survey ( 2005–06 ) . Association between types of vegetarian diet ( vegan , lacto-vegetarian , lacto-ovo vegetarian , pesco-vegetarian , semi-vegetarian and non-vegetarian ) and self-reported diabetes status and measured body mass index ( BMI ) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age , gender , education , household wealth , rural/urban residence , religion , caste , smoking , alcohol use , and television watching . Results Mean BMI was lowest in pesco-vegetarians ( 20.3 kg/m2 ) and vegans ( 20.5 kg/m2 ) and highest in lacto-ovo vegetarian ( 21.0 kg/m2 ) and lacto-vegetarian ( 21.2 kg/m2 ) diets . Prevalence of diabetes varied from 0.9 % ( 95 % CI : 0.8 - 1.1 ) in person consuming lacto-vegetarian , lacto-ovo vegetarian ( 95 % CI:0.6 - 1.3 ) and semi-vegetarian ( 95 % CI:0.7 - 1.1 ) diets and was highest in those persons consuming a pesco-vegetarian diet ( 1.4 % ; 95 % CI:1.0 - 2.0 ) . Consumption of a lacto- ( OR:0.67;95 % CI:0.58 - 0.76;p < 0.01 ) , lacto-ovo ( OR:0.70 ; 95 % CI:0.51 - 0.96;p = 0.03 ) and semi-vegetarian ( OR:0.77 ; 95 % CI:0.60 - 0.98 ; p = 0.03 ) diet was associated with a lower likelihood of diabetes than a non-vegetarian diet in the adjusted analyses . Conclusions In this large , nationally representative sample of Indian adults  , lacto- , lacto-ovo and semi-vegetarian diets were associated with a lower likelihood of diabetes . These findings may assist in the development of interventions to address the growing burden of overweight/obesity and diabetes in Indian population . However , prospect i ve studies with better measures of dietary intake and clinical measures of diabetes are needed to clarify this relationship Background : Only a few r and omized dietary intervention studies that investigated the effects of lacto-ovo vegetarian diet ( VD ) in clinical ly healthy omnivorous subjects are available . Methods : We r and omly assigned to overweight omnivores with a low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk profile  a low-calorie VD compared with a low-calorie Mediterranean diet ( MD ) , each lasting 3 months , with a crossover design . The primary outcome was the difference in body weight , body mass index , and fat mass changes between the 2 groups . Secondary outcomes were differences in circulating cardiovascular disease risk parameters changes between the 2 groups . Results : One hundred eighteen subjects ( mean age : 51.1 years , females : 78 % ) were enrolled . The total participation rate at the end of the study was 84.7 % . No differences between the 2 diets in body weight were observed , as reported by similar and significant reductions obtained by both VD ( −1.88 kg ) and MD ( −1.77 kg ) . Similar results were observed for body mass index and fat mass . In contrast , significant differences between the 2 interventions were obtained for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , triglycerides , and vitamin B12 levels . The difference between the VD and MD groups , in terms of end-of-diet values , was recorded at 9.10 mg/dL for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( P=0.01 ) , 12.70 mg/dL for triglycerides ( P<0.01 ) , and 32.32 pg/mL for vitamin B12 ( P<0.01 ) . Finally , no significant difference was found between VD and MD interventions in oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cytokines , except for interleukin-17 , which improved only in the MD group . Forty-six participants during the VD period and 35 during the MD period reached the target values for ≥1 cardiovascular risk factor . Conclusions : Both VD and MD were effective in reducing body weight , body mass index , and fat mass , with no significant differences between them . However , VD was more effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels , whereas MD led to a greater reduction in triglyceride levels . Clinical Trial Registration : URL : https://www . clinical trials.gov . Unique identifier : NCT02641834 OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the effect of a low-fat , vegan diet compared with the National Cholesterol Education Program ( NCEP ) diet on weight loss maintenance at 1 and 2 years . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES Sixty-four overweight , postmenopausal women were r and omly assigned to a vegan or NCEP diet for 14 weeks , and 62 women began the study . The study was done in two replications . Participants in the first replication ( N = 28 ) received no follow-up support after the 14 weeks , and those in the second replication ( N = 34 ) were offered group support meetings for 1 year . Weight and diet adherence were measured at 1 and 2 years for all participants . Weight loss is reported as median ( interquartile range ) and is the difference from baseline weight at years 1 and 2 . RESULTS Individuals in the vegan group lost more weight than those in the NCEP group at 1 year [ -4.9 ( -0.5 , -8.0 ) kg vs. -1.8 ( 0.8 , -4.3 ) ; p < 0.05 ] and at 2 years [ -3.1 ( 0.0 , -6.0 ) kg vs. -0.8 ( 3.1 , -4.2 ) kg ; p < 0.05 ] . Those participants offered group support lost more weight at 1 year ( p < 0.01 ) and 2 years ( p < 0.05 ) than those without support . Attendance at meetings was associated with improved weight loss at 1 year ( p < 0.001 ) and 2 years ( p < 0.01 ) . DISCUSSION A vegan diet was associated with significantly greater weight loss than the NCEP diet at 1 and 2 years . Both group support and meeting attendance were associated with significant weight loss at follow-up BACKGROUND There is limited evidence with regard to the effect of different sources of protein on appetite during weight loss . Vegetarian and meat-based high-protein diets may have contrasting effects on appetite and biomarkers of protein-induced satiety . OBJECTIVE The aim was to assess appetite response to meat or vegetarian high-protein weight-loss ( HPWL ) diets in obese men to monitor plasma amino acid profile and gut peptide response as potential satiety biomarkers . DESIGN Twenty obese [ body mass index ( in kg/m² ) : 34.8 ] men participated in a dietary intervention study . After 3 d of a maintenance diet , they were provided in a crossover design with either a vegetarian HPWL ( Soy-HPWL ) or a meat-based HPWL ( Meat-HPWL ) diet for 2 wk . Both diets comprised 30 % protein , 30 % fat , and 40 % carbohydrate , provided to measured resting metabolic rate . Body weight and the motivation to eat were measured daily . Plasma satiety biomarkers were collected during a test-meal challenge ( 5 h ) at the end of each diet period . RESULTS Over the 2 wk , subjects lost , on average , 2.41 and 2.27 kg with consumption of the Soy- and Meat-HPWL diets , respectively [ P = 0.352 ; SE of the difference ( SED ) : 0.1 ] . ANOVA confirmed that subjectively rated hunger ( P = 0.569 ; SED : 3.8 ) , fullness ( P = 0.404 ; SED : 4.1 ) , desire to eat ( P = 0.356 ; SED : 3.7 ) , preservation of lean body mass ( P = 0.334 ; SED : 0.2 ) , and loss of percentage fat mass ( P = 0.179 ; SED : 0.2 ) did not differ between the 2 HPWL diets . There were differences in absolute concentrations of ghrelin and peptide YY between the 2 HPWL diets , although the response as net area under the curve was not different . CONCLUSIONS Appetite control and weight loss were similar for both  HPWL diets . Gut hormone profile was similar between the diets , which suggests that vegetarian diets can be as effective as meat-based diets for appetite control during weight loss The Oxford Vegetarian Study is a prospect i ve study of 6000 vegetarians and 5000 nonvegetarian control subjects recruited in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1984 . Cross-sectional analyses of study data showed that vegans had lower total- and LDL-cholesterol concentrations than did meat eaters ; vegetarians and fish eaters had intermediate and similar values . Meat and cheese consumption were positively associated , and dietary fiber intake was inversely associated , with total-cholesterol concentration in both men and women . After 12 y of follow-up , all-cause mortality in the whole cohort was roughly half that in the population of Engl and and Wales ( st and ardized mortality ratio , 0.46 ; 95 % CI , 0.42 , 0.51 ) . After adjusting for smoking , body mass index , and social class , death rates were lower in non-meat-eaters than in meat eaters for each of the mortality endpoints studied [ relative risks and 95 % CIs : 0.80 ( 0 . 65 , 0.99 ) for all causes of death , 0.72 ( 0.47 , 1.10 ) for ischemic heart disease , and 0.61 ( 0.44 , 0.84 ) for all malignant neoplasms ] . Mortality from ischemic heart disease was also positively associated with estimated intakes of total animal fat , saturated animal fat , and dietary cholesterol . Other analyses showed that non-meat-eaters had only half the risk of meat eaters of requiring an emergency appendectomy  , and that vegans in Britain may be at risk for iodine deficiency . Thus , the health of vegetarians in this study is generally good and compares favorably with that of the nonvegetarian control subjects . Larger studies are needed to examine rates of specific cancers and other diseases among vegetarians
Greater weight loss was reported in studies with higher baseline weights , smaller proportions of female participants , older participants , or longer duration s , and in studies in which weight loss was a goal .
The prescription of vegetarian diets  reduces mean body weight , suggesting potential value for prevention and management of weight-related conditions
In observational studies , vegetarians generally have lower body weights compared with omnivores .
However , weight changes that occur when vegetarian diets are prescribed have not been well quantified .
We estimated the effect on body weight when vegetarian diets are prescribed .