A vegan diet may offer significant benefits for managing weight, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, and improving mental health, according to a recent study by the University of London. Published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care, the study suggests that adopting a plant-based diet can improve both physical and emotional well-being.
Diabetes is a growing global health concern, with around 4.5 million people in the UK and over 30 million in the US diagnosed with the condition. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that by 2040, approximately 642 million people worldwide will be living with diabetes.
To assess the effects of a vegan diet on diabetes and overall health, researchers analyzed 11 clinical trials conducted between 1999 and 2017, involving 433 participants, mostly in their mid-fifties. These trials, lasting an average of 23 weeks, compared the health outcomes of individuals on plant-based diets to those following other dietary approaches.
The findings indicate that quality of life improved notably among participants following vegan diets. Physical and emotional well-being, as well as mental health indicators like depressive symptoms, showed significant improvement only in the vegan groups.
Researchers also found that diabetes patients on standard diets experienced “loss of temperature control,” a common symptom linked to diabetic nerve damage. In contrast, those on plant-based diets reported reduced nerve pain, suggesting that a vegan diet could potentially slow diabetes-related nerve damage.
Moreover, in six of the studies, participants on plant-based diets were able to reduce or discontinue diabetes medications. On average, those who eliminated animal products from their diets lost nearly twice as much weight as their counterparts and saw a decrease in blood fats, which are often linked to cardiovascular risk.
Lead author Anastasios Toumpanakis noted that plant-based diets, when paired with education on healthy eating, could significantly enhance psychological well-being, weight management, and diabetes control. “Adopting a vegan diet can improve quality of life and weight, and therefore the management of diabetes,” Toumpanakis stated.
While the study underscores the potential of vegan diets for improving health, researchers also acknowledged some limitations, such as small sample sizes and the reliance on participant self-reporting.
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