2 weeks ago
How Low-Fat Vegan Diet May Aid Weight Loss Without Hunger
Scientists wanted to find out if people could lose weight without feeling hungry all the time.
They did a study where some people ate a low-fat vegan diet full of fruits, vegetables, and beans.
These people were allowed to eat as much as they wanted, whenever they felt hungry.
Even though they ate the same amount of food, they took in fewer calories each day.
The food they chose had lower energy density, which means fewer calories in every bite.
Foods like vegetables and fruits are full of water and fiber, so they fill your plate and your tummy.
The people on the vegan diet lost weight without counting calories or eating smaller portions.
The study shows that what you put on your plate can matter as much as how much you eat.
A study in JAMA Network Open found a low-fat vegan diet reduced food energy density by about 30%.
The 16-week randomised trial included 244 overweight adults who ate freely without calorie limits.
Vegan participants consumed about 357 fewer calories per day while eating a similar amount of food by weight.
They increased vegetable intake by about 143 grams, fruit by 80 grams, and legumes by 74 grams per day.
Researchers linked larger drops in energy density to greater weight loss, even after accounting for calorie intake.
- Who
- 244 overweight adults in a randomised trial, led by Hana Kahleova, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
- What
- A study found that a low-fat vegan diet lowers dietary energy density and calorie intake, enabling weight loss without portion restriction or hunger.
- Where
- Study location not specified in the article.
- When
- A 16-week randomised clinical trial, published in JAMA Network Open (exact publication date not stated).
- Why
- Plant foods rich in water and fibre fill the plate for fewer calories, helping people feel full while naturally eating fewer calories.
Key facts
- Journal
- JAMA Network Open
- Study design
- Randomised clinical trial
- Trial duration
- 16 weeks
- Participants
- 244 overweight adults
- Energy density reduction
- About 30%
- Calorie intake reduction
- About 357 calories per day
- Vegetable intake increase
- About 143 grams per day
- Fruit and legume intake increase
- About 80 grams fruit and 74 grams legumes per day
Quotes
Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD
director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and lead author of the study
“This helps answer a question people often have about plant-based eating: How can you lose weight without counting calories or going hungry? The answer is energy density. Plant foods are rich in water and fibre, so you can fill your plate, feel full, and still take in fewer calories.”
NDTV
Sources
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