Research Participants Experience Easy Weight Loss, Lower Cholesterol, Increased Energy, and Other Benefits

WASHINGTON—A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education shows people who are introduced to a low-fat, vegetarian diet adapt quickly to the new way of eating, and after experiencing the benefits, often opt for a lifestyle change.

"Paradoxically, stricter diets may meet greater acceptance among patients than more modest diets because they relieve symptoms more effectively," write lead researcher Neal D. Barnard, M.D., and his co-authors. "Although the diet change does require some initial effort, it works so well—especially for weight loss—that people are anxious to stick with it," says Dr. Barnard. The article is due for release on Dec. 8, 2000.

The research was conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in conjunction with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center, both located in Washington, D.C.

"Once the study participants began to experience the benefits of the low-fat, vegan diet—easy weight loss and increased energy—they were extremely reluctant to return to their previous diets even when the research protocol called for it. They began to view meat and other fatty foods as an enemy that had caused their problems," says Dr. Barnard, PCRM president.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research,and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.