Type 1 Diabetes Patients Lose Weight on Vegan Diet Without Calorie Restrictions
A recent secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial published in Frontiers in Nutrition examined the effects of plant-based diets on body weight among adults with type 1 diabetes. Conducted by researchers at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the study evaluated how different categories of plant-based foods impacted weight loss compared to a portion-controlled diet. The trial involved 58 adults with type 1 diabetes, randomized to either an ad libitum low-fat vegan diet or a portion-controlled, energy-restricted diet over 12 weeks. The vegan diet excluded all animal products and placed no restrictions on calorie or carbohydrate intake. The portion-controlled diet focused on caloric reduction for overweight participants and maintained consistent carbohydrate consumption. Dietary intake was assessed using the Plant-based Dietary Index (PDI) framework, which …