Vegetarian Nutrition (VN) DPG Public Library

Jarvis, Nguyena, Malika, et al.
Journal: Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Published: 2022

Key Points

• Objective: The purpose was to conduct a systematic review of prospective cohort studies among adults to examine associations between different plant-based diets and obesity risk. They further aimed to explore the characteristics of a plant-based diet that are most protective for healthy body composition.

• Methods: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included only adults >18 years, primary outcomes were weight and/or BMI or other indicators of adiposity (i.e., body fat %, waist circumference), and the study examined the effects of a plant-based diet compared to another diet with less plant-based food consumption. Nine cohort studies were included.

• Results: Adiposity changes were assessed by either body weight (5 cohorts), body mass index (BMI, 2 cohorts) waist circumference (3 cohorts), or body fat (2 cohorts). The authors concluded that high-quality plant-based diets that emphasize fiber, whole grains, and unsaturated fats and are minimally processed are favorably associated with weight management. However, some of the studies relied on self-reported dietary intake measures which are unreliable and introduce

  measurement error.

Conclusion

A healthy plant-based diet is more easily adopted across different cultures, socioeconomic statuses, knowledge, and preferences than other well-known healthy diets e.g., Mediterranean and dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diets. Therefore, it may be easier to adhere to and more feasible for widespread implementation. Future research should focus on the acceptability, feasibility, and adherence to a plant-based diet in more diverse populations and geographical locations. Genetic and metabolic phenotypic interactions should also be explored to elucidate associations with weight management.