Plant based diet can prevent obesity | Stay Energized

Plant based diet can prevent obesity

Plant based diet can prevent obesity : The Power of Plants. The main advantages of a plant-based diet seem to be more related to the foods you're eating lots of (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts) rather than those you're eating less of (meat).

If you want to stay away from obesity then start eating more plant-based foods as researchers say consumption of even mild vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of obesity in the long run. A study showed that people with higher scores on the plant-based diet index had a lower body mass index ( BMI ). 

WHY IS IT BETTER ?

Eating a plant-based diet has been linked to lower risk of obesity and many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammation and cancer. ... Rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes and reduced-fat dairy products, these dietary patterns have been linked to lower risk of obesity and chronic disease.

IS IT GOOD FOR YOU ?

Everything you eat — including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds — is derived from plants. Research reflects that following a plant-based diet has health benefits, if you do it correctly. A plant-based diet is also more likely to result in weight loss than a vegan diet.

Study suggests that a more plant-based and less animal based diet beyond strict adherence  to vegetarian diets may be beneficial for preventing overweight/obesity in middle-aged and elderly populations, said Zhangling Chen from "Erasmus University". Eating a plant-based diet to protect against obesity does not require a radical change in diet or a total elimination of meat or animal products. Instead it can be achieved in various ways, such as moderate reduction of red meat consumption or eating a few more vegetables.

This supports current recommendations to shift to diets rich in plant foods, with low consumption of animal foods, Chen explained. The study included data from 9,641 middle-aged and elderly adults of the average age of 62 years.

The results showed that people with higher plant-based diet scores had lower BMI in long run mainly due to lower body fat mass, after adjusting for effects of time of repeated measurements, total energy intake, education, socioeconomic background and physical activity levels.