Plant-based dietary patterns in the control of obesity and cardiovascular risk

Adherence to plant-based dietary patterns and anthropometric indices among primary school girls in Kerman: A cross-sectional study

The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between adherence to plant-based dietary patterns and anthropometric indices among primary school girls in Kerman. This cross-sectional study included 330 girls aged 6-12. A reliable and validated dish-based food frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary data. Weight, height, and mid-arm circumference were measured, and z-score charts from the World Health Organization for girls between the ages of 5 and 19 were utilized. We used Satija et al. method to calculate plant-based diet index scores. After adjusting for age and energy, participants in the higher tertile of the overall plant-based diet index (PDI) had a lower height-for-age z score (HAZ) (0.38±0.12 vs. 0.59±0.12 kg; P = 0.033). Higher unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) scores were significantly associated with decreased HAZ in models 2 (p = 0.028) and 3 (p = 0.035). A higher PDI score was associated with lower odds of being underweight and overweight, respectively (Model 1: P trend = 0.007, <0.001; Model 2: P trend = 0.010, 0.001). A significant inverse association was found between healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI) scores and underweight risk in the crude and adjusted models. (Model 1: P trend = 0.021; model 2: P trend = 0.018; Model 3: P trend = 0.031). Higher uPDI scores were associated with increased odds of being overweight and obese in all three models (Model 1: p trend<0.001; Model 2: p trend<0.001; Model 3: p trend = 0.001). We concluded that children who followed a plant-based diet had lower odds of being overweight and obese. Higher scores on the hPDI were linked to a decreased risk of being underweight, while higher scores on the uPDI were associated with an increased risk of being overweight and obese. The study suggests healthy plant-based diet may benefit children's weight and growth.

A worksite programme significantly alters nutrient intakes

Objective

To examine whether a worksite nutrition programme using a low-fat vegan diet could significantly improve nutritional intake.

Design

At two corporate sites of the Government Employees Insurance Company, employees who were either overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and/or had type 2 diabetes participated in a 22-week worksite-based dietary intervention study.

Setting

At the intervention site, participants were asked to follow a low-fat vegan diet and participate in weekly group meetings that included instruction and group support (intervention group). At the control site, participants received no instruction (control group). At weeks 0 and 22, participants completed 3 d dietary records to assess energy and nutrient intake.

Subjects

A total of 109 participants (sixty-five intervention and forty-four control).

Results

In the intervention group, reported intake of total fat, trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol decreased significantly (P ≤ 0·001), as did energy and protein (P = 0·01), and vitamin B12 (P = 0·002), compared with the control group. Intake (exclusive of any use of nutritional supplements) of carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium increased significantly (P ≤ 0·0001), as did that for β-carotene (P = 0·0004), total vitamin A activity (P = 0·004), vitamin K (P = 0·01) and sodium (P = 0·04) in the intervention group, compared with the control group.

Conclusions

The present study suggests that a worksite vegan nutrition programme increases intakes of protective nutrients, such as fibre, folate and vitamin C, and decreases intakes of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.