ews Release

Friday, September 9, 2005
Contact: Jeanne Stuart McVey, 202-686-2210, ext. 316,
EMBARGO until 9 September, 5a.m., Eastern Time

New Study Shows High-Carb, Vegan Diet Causes Major Weight Loss
Even with No Calorie-Cutting or Exercise, Diet is More Effective Than a
Typical Low-Fat Diet

WASHINGTON—A low-fat, plant-based diet is more effective at helping
women lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity than an omnivorous
diet, shows a new study appearing in the September issue of The American
Journal of Medicine. The study, involving 59 overweight, postmenopausal
women, was conducted by Neal D. Barnard, M.D., president of the
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), together with
colleagues at Georgetown University Hospital and George Washington
University. Half of the study participants followed a vegan diet; the
other half followed a control diet based on National Cholesterol
Education Program guidelines.

“The study participants following the vegan diet enjoyed unlimited
servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthful foods
that enabled them to lose weight without feeling hungry,” says Dr.
Barnard, the lead author. “As they began to experience the positive
effects, weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity, the women in the
intervention group became even more motivated to follow the plant-based
eating plan.”

Scientific studies show that obesity and overweight are far less
prevalent in populations following a plant-based diet. In a recent study
of more than 55,000 Swedish women, Tufts University researcher P.
Kirstin Newby and her colleagues found that 40 percent of meat-eaters
were overweight or obese while only 25 to 29 percent of vegetarians and
vegans were. Worldwide, vegetarian populations experience lower rates of
heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening
diseases. A new study appearing in September’s Journal of Urology shows
that a low-fat, primarily vegan diet may slow the progression of
prostate cancer.

The simplicity of a vegan diet appeals to people who are busy with work
and family, and many familiar recipes are easy to adapt. At least four
studies published in peer-reviewed journals show that patients give the
low-fat vegetarian diet a high rating in terms of acceptability, and
that the transition only takes about three weeks or less.

For a copy of the new paper published in The American Journal of
Medicine, please contact Jeanne S. McVey at 202-686-2210, ext. 316, or
.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a
nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine,
especially good nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical research studies,
opposes unethical human experimentation, and promotes alternatives to
animal research.