Metabolic syndrome
Cut the risk with a plant-based diet
Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions that are all linked to diet and which, taken together, can double the risk of heart disease and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes five-fold. One in four of all adults worldwide are estimated to have metabolic syndrome, making it one of the most important global health problems we face. A review of the current evidence shows that vegetarian diets reduce the risk of the condition. It may be the combination of nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which result in a decrease in body weight, fat mass, blood pressure, unhealthy fats in the blood, oxidative stress, insulin resistance and inflammation. The authors suggest that patients suffering from metabolic syndrome should be given nutritional support and a plant-based diet.
Pinheiro C, Leite JC, Negrão R et al. 2020. Vegetarian diets as a possible therapeutic approach to patients with metabolic syndrome: A brief review. Porto Biomedical Journal. 10, 5(6) e098.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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