Veganism and its relationship with insulin resistance and intramyocellular lipid

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2005-02, Vol.59 (2), p.291-298
• Main Authors: Goff, L.M, Bell, J.D, So, P.W, Dornhorst, A, Frost, G.S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Anthropometry; Beta cells; Bioelectricity; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blood pressure; Body fat; Body Mass Index; Body size; Carbohydrates; cardioprotective effect; Case-Control Studies; Clinical Nutrition; clinical trials; Diet; Diet, Vegetarian; Dietary intake; Energy intake; Epidemiology; Fasting; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glycemic effect; Glycemic Index; Humans; In vivo methods and tests; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Internal Medicine; intramyocellular lipids; Islets of Langerhans - metabolism; lipid composition; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscles; myocytes; Non-starch polysaccharides; Omnivores; original-communication; Physical activity; Polysaccharides; Proton magnetic resonance; Public Health; Saccharides; Soleus muscle; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; Vegan; Veganism; vegans; Vegetarian diet; Vegetarianism; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602076

Objective: To test the hypothesis that dietary factors in the vegan diet lead to improved insulin sensitivity and lower intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) storage. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK. Subjects: A total of 24 vegans and 25 omnivores participated in this study; three vegan subjects could not be matched therefore the matched results are shown for 21 vegans and 25 omnivores. The subjects were matched for gender, age and body mass index (BMI). Interventions: Full anthropometry, 7-day dietary assessment and physical activity levels were obtained. Insulin sensitivity (%S) and beta-cell function (%B) were determined using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA). IMCL levels were determined using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; total body fat content was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Results: There was no difference between the groups in sex, age, BMI, waist measurement, percentage body fat, activity levels and energy intake. Vegans had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure (-11.0 mmHg, CI -20.6 to -1.3, P=0.027) and higher dietary intake of carbohydrate (10.7%, CI 6.8-14.5, P