Eat This Diet For a Lower BMI? (Body Mass Index)

Struggling to lose weight? There’s good news: Eating a vegetarian diet could help you have a lower body mass index, or BMI.

The study, which was published in the online version of The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, examined more than 71,000 people to determine how certain diets, like vegetarian diets, affected their weight. And, like many experts expected, those who choose to go meat-free fared the best: Strict vegetarians had a mean BMI of 24, 4.7 points lower than non-vegetarians.

“Our aim was to compare nutrient intakes between dietary patterns characterized by consumption or exclusion of meat and dairy products,” say researchers of the study. “Many nutrient intakes varied significantly between dietary patterns. Nonvegetarians had the lowest intakes of plant proteins, fiber, beta carotene, and magnesium compared with those following vegetarian dietary patterns, and the highest intakes of saturated, trans, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic fatty acids.”

Unlike meat-based diets, vegetarian diets have often been lauded for being healthier and containing less of the bad stuff–such as saturated fat and processed food. Health organizations, such as the American Dietetic Association, also say these diets are associated with certain “health advantages,” such as a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes–problems that are seemingly exploding in the adult American population. In the study, these claims held true: Those who followed a vegetarian diet consumed lower levels of saturated and trans fats, two bad fats associated with elevated heart health risks.

However, not everyone thinks this study proves that going vegetarian is the best way to diet–or to even be healthy.

“Just considering the level of meat in a diet is not strong enough evidence to determine a relationship between eating meat and a high BMI,” says Neil Rowland, a psychology department chair for the University of Florida. “Exercise is another component that should be considered. You really have to think about a lifestyle change.”

Regardless of these criticisms, however, researchers say that vegetarian diets continue to be associated with lower BMIs–and if you’re struggling to lose weight, it may be a good option for keeping the pounds off for good.

How to Switch to a Vegetarian Diet

While it is undeniable that vegetarians generally weigh less–that’s good if you want to lose weight–making the switch to a cruelty-free lifestyle is easier said than done. So what’s the best way to go vegetarian?

“People who take the gradual approach to a meat-free diet are more likely to stick with their new eating habits,” says the University of Rochester Medical Center. “This may be related to slower diet changes that allow a gradual adjustment for both you and your friends and family.”

To help make the transition easy, the University of Rochester Medical Center recommends slowly taking meat out of your diet, such as introducing a few meatless meals to your diet each week. Learning how to create meatless version of your favorite meals can also help, as well as educating yourself with vegetarian magazines and cookbooks.

But best yet, support helps–without support from friends or family members, it can be hard to transition, even if you want to stick to this lifestyle.

Readers: Have you tried a vegetarian diet before?

Sources:
How to Eat Vegetarian – URMC.Rochester.edu
Why Vegetarianism is Healthier – ScienceDaily.com
Study: Vegetarians Have Lower BMIs – ANDJrnl.org
To Lose Weight, Try Vegetarianism – Alligator.org

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Our mission at Zero to Hero Fitness is to help you to finally lose the weight and keep it off, strengthen your body and mind, and experience naturally high levels of energy throughout the day. We believe everyone, regardless of your past or current struggles with your health or fitness, can greatly improve on your existing condition and live life in your best body possible.

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