Greater weight loss was reported in studies with higher baseline weights , smaller proportions of female participants , older participants , or longer duration s , and in studies in which weight loss was a goal .
The prescription of vegetarian diets  reduces mean body weight , suggesting potential value for prevention and management of weight-related conditions
In observational studies , vegetarians generally have lower body weights compared with omnivores .
However , weight changes that occur when vegetarian diets are prescribed have not been well quantified .
We estimated the effect on body weight when vegetarian diets are prescribed .
A low-fat vegan diet elicits greater macronutrient changes, but is comparable in adherence and acceptability, compared with a more conventional diabetes diet among individuals with type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND Although therapeutic diets are critical to diabetes management , their acceptability to patients is largely unstudied . OBJECTIVE To quantify adherence and acceptability for two types of diets for diabetes . DESIGN Controlled trial conducted between 2004 and 2006 . SUBJECTS/ SETTING Individuals with type 2 diabetes ( n=99 ) at a community-based research facility . Participants were r and omly assigned to a diet following 2003 American Diabetes Association guidelines or a low-fat , vegan diet for 74 weeks . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Attrition , adherence , dietary behavior , diet acceptability , and cravings . STATISTICAL ANALYSES For nutrient intake and question naire scores , t tests determined between-group differences . For diet-acceptability measures , the related sample s Wilcoxon sum rank test assessed within-group changes ; the independent sample s Mann-Whitney U test compared the diet groups . Changes in reported symptoms among the groups was compared using chi(2 ) for independent sample s. RESULTS All participants completed the initial 22 weeks ; 90 % ( 45/50 ) of American Diabetes Association guidelines diet group and 86 % ( 42/49 ) of the vegan diet group participants completed 74 weeks . Fat and cholesterol intake fell more and carbohydrate and fiber intake increased more in the vegan group . At 22 weeks , group-specific diet adherence criteria were met by 44 % ( 22/50 ) of members of the American Diabetes Association diet group and 67 % ( 33/49 ) of vegan-group participants ( P=0.019 ) ; the American Diabetes Association guidelines diet group reported a greater increase in dietary restraint ; this difference was not significant at 74 weeks . Both groups reported reduced hunger and reduced disinhibition . Question naire responses rated both diets as satisfactory , with no significant differences between groups , except for ease of preparation , for which the 22-week ratings marginally favored the American Diabetes Association guideline group . Cravings for fatty foods diminished more in the vegan group at 22 weeks , with no significant difference at 74 weeks . CONCLUSIONS Despite its greater influence on macronutrient intake , a low-fat , vegan diet has an acceptability similar to that of a more conventional diabetes diet . Acceptability appears to be no barrier to its use in medical nutrition therapy
Greater weight loss was reported in studies with higher baseline weights , smaller proportions of female participants , older participants , or longer duration s , and in studies in which weight loss was a goal .
The prescription of vegetarian diets  reduces mean body weight , suggesting potential value for prevention and management of weight-related conditions
In observational studies , vegetarians generally have lower body weights compared with omnivores .
However , weight changes that occur when vegetarian diets are prescribed have not been well quantified .
We estimated the effect on body weight when vegetarian diets are prescribed .