American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 81, No. 6, 1267-1274, June 2005
Risk of overweight and obesity among semivegetarian, lactovegetarian, and vegan
women
PK Newby, Katherine L Tucker and Alicja Wolk
Abstract
Background: Observational studies suggest that a plant-based diet is inversely
related to body mass index (BMI), overweight, and obesity.
Objective: Our objective was to examine the BMI (kg/m2) and risk of overweight
and obesity of self-defined semivegetarian, lactovegetarian, and vegan women.
Design: Data analyzed in this cross-sectional study were from 55459 healthy
women participating in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Women were asked whether
they considered themselves to be omnivores (n = 54257), semivegetarians (n =
960), lactovegetarians (n = 159), or vegans (n = 83), and this question was the
main exposure variable in this study. In secondary analyses, we reclassified
women as lactovegetarians on the basis of food intakes reported on the
food-frequency questionnaire.
Results: The prevalence of overweight or obesity (BMI 25) was 40% among
omnivores, 29% among both semivegetarians and vegans, and 25% among
lactovegetarians. In multivariate, adjusted logistic regression analyses,
self-identified vegans had a significantly lower risk of overweight or obesity
[odds ratio (OR) = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.69] than did omnivores, as did
lactovegetarians (OR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.85) and semivegetarians (OR =
0.52; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.62). Risk of overweight or obesity remained significantly
lower among lactovegetarians classified on the basis of the food-frequency
questionnaire (OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.78).
Conclusions: Even if vegetarians consume some animal products, our results
suggest that self-identified semivegetarian, lactovegetarian, and vegan women
have a lower risk of overweight and obesity than do omnivorous women. The
advice to consume more plant foods and less animal products may help
individuals control their weight.
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/81/6/1267
Tom Billings
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