Is a Plant-Based Diet the Solution to Sustainable Weight Loss?

Starting a new diet is one of the New Year's resolutions for about half of American people. Less than ten percent of that group said they would attempt a plant-based or vegan diet, one of the best ways to lose weight. The poll included 2,174 women and men. Among diet preferences: 40% aim to reduce calorie intake — a traditional approach focused on calorie counting. Despite the known side effects, 26% choose low-carbohydrate diets (e.g., keto, Atkins). Only 7% intend to switch to a plant-based diet, despite evidence showing that it is not only less expensive but also more environmentally friendly and offers protection against some diseases. The Physicians Committee, a health advocacy organization with 17,000 physician members, argue that counting calories can be time-consuming and cause some people to develop a bad connection with food.

Additionally, a variety of adverse effects are associated with low-carb diets. Plant-based diets are helpful for weight loss without intentionally limiting or tracking calories. Because plants naturally have more fiber and fewer calories, they help people feel fuller for longer.

Evidence for Plant-based Diets are Effective

Research backs this up.

• In the 2017 BROAD Study, obese or overweight participants in Gisborne, New Zealand, ages 35 to 70, with at least one comorbidity, such as type 2 diabetes, ate a whole food, plant-based diet for six months.
On average, they lost 26.6 pounds and achieved a reduction in body mass index of 4.4 percentage points. After one year, most of their results were sustained. There was no significant weight loss in the control group.
• In the Physicians Committee’s 2013 GEICO study of 292 obese or overweight GEICO Insurance Company employees with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at 10 sites across the United States, participants followed either a low-fat vegan diet or no diet for 18 weeks.
Those who followed a low-fat vegan diet lost an average of 9.5 pounds, significantly decreased total and LDL cholesterol, and, in individuals with diabetes, reduced hemoglobin A1c by an average of 0.7 percentage points.
• In another Physicians Committee study, from 2018, overweight individuals who followed a plant-based diet for 16 weeks lost 14.3 pounds, on average, while individuals in a control group experienced no significant change in weight.

“The even better news is that while a plant-based diet is effective for weight loss, it also reduces the risk of obesity-related diseases,” Dr. Becker says, “like heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and certain cancers, can save money, and is best for the environment.”

Reference:

1. Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Resolve to Start a New Diet in 2025- (https:www.pcrm.org/news/news-releases/nearly-half-us-adults-resolve-start-new-diet-2025)

Source-Eurekalert