Vegetarian diets on anthropometric, metabolic and blood pressure outcomes in people with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. 2023

Beatriz Melgar, and Carlos Diaz-Arocutipa, and Claudia Huerta-Rengifo, and Alejandro Piscoya, and Joshuan J Barboza, and Adrian V Hernandez
Unidad de Revisiones Sistemáticas y Meta-análisis (URSIGET), Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru. beamelgar@gmail.com.

It is unknown whether vegetarian diets (VDs) may improve outcomes in people with overweight and obesity. To systematically assess the effects of VDs vs. omnivore diets on anthropometric, metabolic, and blood pressure outcomes in people with overweight and obesity. We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus until February 2, 2022. Primary outcomes were anthropometric risk factors (weight, body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], hip circumference [HC], and body fat percentage). Secondary outcomes were metabolic risk factors (fasting serum glucose, HbA1c, insulin levels) and blood pressure (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP]). Random-effects meta-analyses were performed and effects were expressed as mean difference (MD) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). The quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE methods. Nine RCTs (n = 1628) were included. VDs decreased weight (MD -3.60 kg, 95%CI -4.75 to -2.46) and glucose (MD -10.64 mg/dL, 95%CI -15.77 to -5.51), but did not decrease WC (MD -3.00 cm, 95%CI -6.20 to 0.20), BMI (MD -0.87 kg/m2, 95%CI -1.80 to 0.06), or HC (MD: -0.86 cm, 95%CI -3.46 to 1.74). VDs did not decrease HbA1c (MD -0.40%, 95%CI -0.89 to 0.10), insulin (MD -3.83 mU/L, 95%CI -8.06 to 0.40), SBP (MD -0.25 mmHg, 95%CI -2.58 to 2.07), or DBP (MD -1.57 mmHg, 95%CI -3.93 to 0.78). Subgroup analyses by type of VD (four RCTs evaluated lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets and five RCTs vegan diets) showed similar results to the main analyses. QoE was very low for most of the outcomes. In comparison to an omnivorous diet, VDs may reduce weight and glucose, but not blood pressure or other metabolic or anthropometric outcomes. However, the QoE was mostly very low. Larger RCTs are still needed to evaluate the effects of VD on anthropometric, metabolic factors, and blood pressure in people with overweight and obesity.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009765 Obesity A status with BODY WEIGHT that is grossly above the recommended standards, usually due to accumulation of excess FATS in the body. The standards may vary with age, sex, genetic or cultural background. In the BODY MASS INDEX, a BMI greater than 30.0 kg/m2 is considered obese, and a BMI greater than 40.0 kg/m2 is considered morbidly obese (MORBID OBESITY).
D005947 Glucose A primary source of energy for living organisms. It is naturally occurring and is found in fruits and other parts of plants in its free state. It is used therapeutically in fluid and nutrient replacement. Dextrose,Anhydrous Dextrose,D-Glucose,Glucose Monohydrate,Glucose, (DL)-Isomer,Glucose, (alpha-D)-Isomer,Glucose, (beta-D)-Isomer,D Glucose,Dextrose, Anhydrous,Monohydrate, Glucose
D006442 Glycated Hemoglobin Products of non-enzymatic reactions between GLUCOSE and HEMOGLOBIN (occurring as a minor fraction of the hemoglobin of ERYTHROCYTES.) It generally refers to glycated HEMOGLOBIN A. Hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) is hemoglobin A with GLYCATION on a terminal VALINE of the beta chain. Glycated hemoglobin A is used as an index of the average blood sugar level over a lifetime of erythrocytes. Fructated Hemoglobins,Glycohemoglobin,Glycohemoglobin A,Glycohemoglobins,Glycosylated Hemoglobin A,Hb A1c,HbA1,Hemoglobin A(1),Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated,Glycated Hemoglobin A,Glycated Hemoglobin A1c,Glycated Hemoglobins,Glycosylated Hemoglobin A1c,Hb A1,Hb A1a+b,Hb A1a-1,Hb A1a-2,Hb A1b,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1a-2,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1b,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1a-1,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1b,A1a-1 Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,A1a-2 Hemoglobin, Glycated,A1b Hemoglobin, Glycated,A1b Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,Glycated A1a-2 Hemoglobin,Glycated A1b Hemoglobin,Glycosylated A1a-1 Hemoglobin,Glycosylated A1b Hemoglobin,Glycosylated Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin A, Glycated,Hemoglobin A1c, Glycated,Hemoglobin A1c, Glycosylated,Hemoglobin, Glycated,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1a 2,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1a 1,Hemoglobins, Fructated,Hemoglobins, Glycated
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014676 Diet, Vegetarian The dietary practice of completely avoiding meat or fish products in the DIET, consuming VEGETABLES, CEREALS, and NUTS. Some vegetarian diets called lacto-ovo also include milk and egg products. Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet,Lacto-Vegetarian Diet,Vegetarian Diet,Vegetarianism,Diet, Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian,Diet, Lacto-Vegetarian,Diets, Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian,Diets, Lacto-Vegetarian,Diets, Vegetarian,Lacto Ovo Vegetarian Diet,Lacto Vegetarian Diet,Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diets,Lacto-Vegetarian Diets,Vegetarian Diet, Lacto-Ovo,Vegetarian Diets,Vegetarian Diets, Lacto-Ovo
D016032 Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table. Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical
D050177 Overweight A status with BODY WEIGHT that is above certain standards. In the scale of BODY MASS INDEX, overweight is defined as having a BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/m2. Overweight may or may not be due to increases in body fat (ADIPOSE TISSUE), hence overweight does not equal "over fat".
D061385 Insulins Peptide hormones that cause an increase in the absorption of GLUCOSE by cells within organs such as LIVER; MUSCLE and ADIPOSE TISSUE. During normal metabolism insulins are produced by the PANCREATIC BETA CELLS in response to increased GLUCOSE. Natural and chemically-modified forms of insulin are also used in the treatment of GLUCOSE METABOLISM DISORDERS such as DIABETES MELLITUS.

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