Question:
I wonder whether it is the vegan diet itself that helps or the loss of
weight - which would help diabetes no matter what the source of the
weight loss.
Answer:
The limited compliance of the ADA group merits comment. Researchers
have long lamented the difficulties in adhering to diets for diabetes
(25). The A1C reduction observed in the ADA group was similar to that
found in previous studies (26). A potential weakness of the ADA
guidelines is that they require portion size limits for overweight
individuals, and limitations on saturated-fat intake are based on these
limited energy intakes. Individuals who exceed their prescribed energy
intake limits with overly large portions can, as a result, easily
exceed recommended limits on saturated fat. In contrast, the vegan diet
includes no animal fat, so variations in food quantity are less likely
to result in substantial increases in saturated fat intake. Because the
vegan diet is based on the elimination of certain foods, it may be
easier to understand than regimens that limit quantities of certain
foods without proscribing any. The acceptability of low-fat vegan diets
in clinical studies is similar to that of seemingly more moderate diets
(27).
