16-Week Trial Finds Low-Fat Vegan Diet Cuts 357 Calories a Day, Driving Weight Loss
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 18
16-Week Trial Finds Low-Fat Vegan Diet Cuts 357 Calories a Day, Driving Weight Loss
3 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 18
Summary
A 16-week randomized trial in adults with overweight found a low-fat vegan diet led to weight loss without calorie targets or portion limits, while participants ate roughly the same amount of food by weight.
Calorie intake fell by about 357 kcal a day because the diet lowered food energy density by roughly 30%, replacing meat, dairy and eggs with fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.
The control group's energy density was essentially unchanged, and researchers said larger drops in energy density tracked with both lower calorie intake and greater weight loss.
Published in JAMA Network Open, the findings suggest weight management may be improved by changing food composition toward water- and fiber-rich plant foods rather than simply telling people to eat less.