Metabolic syndrome

| 6 April 2021
minute reading time
Doctor with fruit and veg

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
I joined Viva! as a health campaigner in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. My scientific training helped me research and write numerous reports, guides and fact sheets for Viva! including Meat the Truth, Fish-Free for Life, One in Nine (breast cancer and diet) and the substantial report on the detrimental health effects of consuming dairy; White Lies. This accompanied Viva!’s report The Dark Side of Dairy which spelt out the inherent cruelty of dairy farming. We were the first UK group to take on the dairy industry in this way, and many of our supporters go vegan after reading these reports.

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