Swapping animal products for plant-based foods helps people with type 1 diabetes lose weight, study finds
Researchers found that replacing animal products with plant-based foods, rather than focusing on calorie restriction, had the most significant effect on weight loss and overall metabolic health in people with type 1 diabetes.
Adults with type 1 diabetes may benefit from weight loss by replacing animal-based foods with plant-based alternatives, even when those alternatives are not traditionally considered healthy, according to a new study.
The research, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, was led by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and offers new insights into how different types of plant-based foods influence weight outcomes.
For the 12-week clinical trial, 58 adults with type 1 diabetes were randomly placed into one of two groups. One group followed a low-fat vegan diet with no limits on calorie or carbohydrate intake. The other group followed a portion-controlled diet, reducing daily calories while keeping carbohydrate consumption consistent.
Dietary intake was assessed using the Plant-based Dietary Index (PDI) framework, which categorizes plant-based foods into healthful, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, oils, coffee, and tea, and unhealthful, including fruit juice, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, potatoes, and sweets.
The study found that weight loss occurred even when participants consumed more foods from the “unhealthful” category, as long as those foods replaced animal-based options. The improvements were also independent of total energy intake, suggesting that the type of food matters more than the number of calories.
Participants following the plant-based diet significantly increased their consumption of “healthful” plant-based foods, such as legumes, whole grains, and fruits, while reducing their consumption of nuts and vegetable oils. Those on the portion-controlled diet saw an increase in whole grain consumption, the study found.
There was no significant change in the consumption of “unhealthful” plant-based foods in either group, apart from a decrease in refined grains among those on the portion-controlled diet.
Participants on the plant-based diet lost an average of 5.2 kilograms (about 11 pounds), while those on the portion-controlled diet saw no significant change in body weight.
“Our findings suggest that even less-than-perfect plant-based choices are still better for weight management than animal-based meals. Swapping eggs and cottage cheese for something as simple as toast and juice can make a measurable difference.”
This research is secondary to and builds on an earlier study that found a plant-based diet reduced insulin requirements, improved insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, and led to better cholesterol levels and kidney function in people with type 1 diabetes.
Let Species Unite help you get started on your plant-based journey: sign up for our 30-Day Plant Power challenge to take charge of your health today!
Listen to “S4. E16: Adam Sud: Plant-Based Addict” of the Species Unite podcast to hear the story of how Adam Sudd helped transformed his life using a plant-based diet. Adam is a diabetes and food addiction coach for Mastering Diabetes, a program that focuses on reversing insulin resistance to master diabetes using low fat, whole food, plant-based nutrition. Adam is also the founder of the non-profit, Plant-Based for Positive Change, a program that is dedicated to advancing the research of diet and mental health and addiction. Listen here.
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