According to a new study published by the journal Obesity Science & Practice, a plant-based diet reduces inflammatory dietary advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)
AGEs are compounds that form in the bloodstream when protein or fat combine with sugar. The decrease in AGEs was found to be associated with weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity.
“Evidence suggests that changes in advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) may influence body weight”, states the study’s abstract. “Previous studies have focused on cooking methods as the primary way how to reduce the dietary AGEs but little is known about the effects of a change in diet composition.”With that in mind, the aim of this study “was to assess the effects of a low-fat plant-based diet on dietary AGEs and test the association with body weight, body composition, and insulin sensitivity.”
In total, 244 individuals who were overweight participated in the study for 16 weeks, with participants equally divided into two cohort. These include people eating a plant-based diet and a control group. Researchers measured body composition prior to and after the study, as well as assessed insulin sensitivity.
“Dietary AGEs decreased in the intervention group by 8768 ku/day on average (95% −9611 to −7925; p < 0.001), compared with the control group (−1608; 95% CI −2709 to −506; p = 0.005; treatment effect −7161 ku/day [95% CI −8540 to −5781]; Gxt, p < 0.001)”, states the study. “Body weight decreased by 6.4 kg in the intervention group, compared with 0.5 kg in the control group (treatment effect −5.9 kg [95% CI −6.8 to −5.0]; Gxt, p < 0.001), largely due to a reduction in fat mass, notably visceral fat.”The study continues: “PREDIM increased in the intervention group (treatment effect +0.9 [95% CI + 0.5 to +1.2]; p < 0.001). Changes in dietary AGEs correlated with changes in body weight (r = +0.41; p < 0.001), fat mass (r = +0.38; p < 0.001), visceral fat (r = +0.23; p < 0.001), and PREDIM (r = −0.28; p < 0.001), and remained significant even after adjustment for changes in energy intake (r = +0.35; p < 0.001 for body weight; r = +0.34; p < 0.001 for fat mass; r = +0.15; p = 0.03 for visceral fat; and r = −0.24; p < 0.001 for PREDIM).”
The study concudes:
Dietary AGEs decreased on a low-fat plant-based diet, and this decrease was associated with changes in body weight, body composition, and insulin sensitivity, independent of energy intake. These findings demonstrate positive effects of qualitative dietary changes on dietary AGEs and cardiometabolic outcomes.
More information on this study can be found by clicking here.
Anthony Martinelli
Anthony Martinelli is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Vegan Herald, which launched in 2015 as a daily vegan news and information website.
AGEs are compounds that form in the bloodstream when protein or fat combine with sugar. The decrease in AGEs was found to be associated with weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity.