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Evaluation of an eight-week whole-food plant-based lifestyle modification program
In this 2019 study, participants completed an 8-week program in which they consumed a whole-food plant-based dietary pattern. Around 30% of the sample were already either vegetarian or vegan at baseline. The results demonstrated that subjects that lost the highest proportion of their body weight were obese at baseline. As baseline BMI increased, the percentage of body weight lost increased. Moreover, blood pressure and plasma lipid concentrations were lower after the 8-week program than before (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and LDL levels dropped). This included individuals who started the study as vegans/vegetarians (reporting significant weight loss and reductions in total and LDL cholesterol). It was noted that their weight loss tended to be less than that of non-vegetarians at baseline but this relationship was not found to be significant. Also, there was no marked difference in total and LDL cholesterol reductions between the non-vegetarians and vegetarians/vegans at baseline. Two participants (2.6%) had to increase their dose of their chronic medication, while there were 21 subjects (26.9%) also that were able to reduce or stop at least one of their regular medications. It was concluded that a whole-food plant-based dietary intervention may at least provide great short-term benefits in non-vegetarians, vegetarians, and vegans alike. [NPID: plant based, whole foods, vegan, vegetarian, obesity, cholesterol]
Year: 2019
