Newly published results from a two-year study suggest a vegan diet is more effective for weight loss than the National Cholesterol Education Progam's heart-healthy diet.
So soon an update to Vegetarianism and Weight Loss .
The results from a two-year study comparing a vegan diet to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) diet for weight loss. Overweight postmenopausal women were assigned to one diet or the other for 14 weeks, with both groups being told to limit fat from foods and eat until satisfied. Approximately half the participants received follow-up group support meetings for one year and half did not. The study lasted for two years.
At the end of the study, participants assigned to the vegan diet lost more weight than those in the NCEP group, and participants offered group support made the best progress.
If you had severely high cholesterol or obesity, and were at risk for cardiovascular disease, would you consider adopting a vegan diet?
I find it hard to believe that people just randomly assigned a diet could stick to something that is probably a drastic change for such a long period of time. They must have been motivated to improve their health!
The vegan diet seems to stack up well against the NCEP diet that limits saturated fat, total fat, sodium, and cholesterol (which is only found in animal products). Neither diet is strictly designed for weight loss but rather healthy living.
Despite the unwillingness of the general population to adopt a vegan diet, evidence is constantly accumulating to support its positive effects on weight and health.
Reference:
Turner-McGrievy GM, Barnard ND, and Scialli AR. A two-year randomized weight loss trial comparing a vegan diet to a more moderate low-fat diet. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007; 15(9):2276-81. Available from: http://www.pubmed.com
