Mixed
A calorie-restricted vegetarian diet improves insulin sensitivity and reduces visceral fat more effectively than a conventional diabetic diet in patients with Type 2 diabetes, with benefits augmented by aerobic exercise.
For Type 2 diabetes management, switching to a calorie-restricted vegetarian diet (focusing on vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, and nuts, with minimal low-fat dairy) can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce visceral fat more effectively than standard diabetic diets. Adding aerobic exercise enhances these benefits. The study provided all meals, suggesting that structured support is key to adherence.
A calorie-restricted vegetarian diet had greater capacity to improve insulin sensitivity compared with a conventional diabetic diet over 24 weeks. The greater loss of visceral fat and improvements in plasma concentrations of adipokines and oxidative stress markers with this diet may be responsible for the reduction of insulin resistance.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a metabolically controlled design and all meals provided, though open-label.
Source
Vegetarian diet improves insulin resistance and oxidative stress markers more than conventional diet in subjects with Type 2 diabetes
Hana Kahleová et al. · Diabetic Medicine · 2010
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