Study: 16-Week Low-Fat Vegan Diet Reduces Liver Fat and Improves Blood Sugar in Type 2 Diabetes
Following a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks reduced liver fat by 33%, produced an average weight loss of 6 kilograms, and improved HbA1c by one percentage point without calorie counting.
A recent clinical study found that following a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks helps reduce liver fat, lose weight and improve measures of blood-sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes — without the need to count calories or measure portion sizes.
Participants in the study lost an average of about six kilograms, equivalent to 6.6% of body weight. Accumulated liver fat decreased by roughly 33%, and visceral fat volume surrounding internal organs declined by about 290 cubic centimeters.
Measures of blood-sugar control also improved: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) dropped by one percentage point. Improvements were also recorded in the body’s insulin sensitivity and in pancreatic beta-cell function responsible for insulin production.
The results showed reductions in total cholesterol and in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, alongside a decrease in accumulation of compounds known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are linked to tissue damage and insulin resistance.
The diet was based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, with participants allowed to eat until full and without restrictions on total calorie intake. Carbohydrates made up about 75% of total calories, versus 15% protein and 10% fat.
The study author and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Dr. Hana Kahleova, said the findings suggest that focusing on food quality and choosing healthy plant foods may reduce liver fat accumulation and improve the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin, without the need to count calories or weigh portions.
