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Vegetarian diets and weight reduction: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Open accessAbstract
Background Vegetarian diets may promote weight loss, but evidence remains inconclusive.Methods PubMed, EMBASE and UpToDate databases were searched through September 22, 2014, and investigators extracted data regarding study characteristics and assessed study quality among selected randomized clinical trials. Population size, demographic (i.e., gender and age) and anthropometric (i.e., body mass index) characteristics, types of interventions, follow-up periods, and trial quality (Jadad score) were recorded. The net changes in body weight of subjects were analyzed and pooled after assessing heterogeneity with a random effects model. Subgroup analysis was performed based on type of vegetarian diet, type of energy restriction, study population, and follow-up period.Results Twelve randomized controlled trials were included, involving a total of 1151 subjects who received the intervention over a median duration of 18 weeks. Overall, individuals assigned to the vegetarian diet groups lost significantly more weight than those assigned to the non-vegetarian diet groups (weighted mean difference, -2.02 kg; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: -2.80 to -1.23). Subgroup analysis detected significant weight reduction in subjects consuming a vegan diet (-2.52 kg; 95 % CI: -3.02 to -1.98) and, to a lesser extent, in those given lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets (-1.48 kg; 95 % CI: -3.43 to 0.47). Studies on subjects consuming vegetarian diets with energy restriction (ER) revealed a significantly greater weight reduction (-2.21 kg; 95 % CI: -3.31 to -1.12) than those without ER (-1.66 kg; 95 % CI: -2.85 to -0.48). The weight loss for subjects with follow-up of <1 year was greater (-2.05 kg; 95 % CI: -2.85 to -1.25) than those with follow-up of ≥1 year (-1.13 kg; 95 % CI: -2.04 to -0.21).Conclusions Vegetarian diets appeared to have significant benefits on weight reduction compared to non-vegetarian diets. Further long-term trials are needed to investigate the effects of vegetarian diets on body weight control.
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“A larger body of evidence from randomized clinical trials suggests that vegetarian and other plant-based dietary patterns lower weight29,30,31 and improve lipid management,30,32,33 glucose metabolism,33,34 blood pressure,35,36,37 and cardiometabolic health.38”
From Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins: A Randomized Clinical Trial (2023) · cites this paper as [30]
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“Despite their capability to facilitate statistically significant weight loss [132], VLFDs lack significant fat loss advantages compared to higher-fat diets, particularly in the long-term [133–135].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: diets for body weight reduction (2026) · cites this paper as [132]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Huang, R.-Y., Huang, C.-C., Hu, F. B., & Chavarro, J. E.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of General Internal Medicine
- Published
- 2015-07-03
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 109-116
- ISSN
- 0884-8734 (ISSN-L)
- 1525-1497
- PMC
- PMC4699995
- OpenAlex
- W1958059468
- Cited by
- 321
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 1.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of General Internal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Cancer Institute (U54CA155626)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK046200, P30 DK-46200)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Diet and metabolism studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Dietary Effects on Health
- Keywords
- vegetarian diet, weight loss, vegan diet, lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, caloric restriction, obesity, dietary intervention
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Obesity, Diet, Vegetarian, Weight Loss, Body Mass Index, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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