The BROAD study: A randomised controlled trial using a whole food plant-based diet in the community for obesity, ischaemic heart disease or diabetes

• Published in: Nutrition & diabetes Vol. 7; no. 3; p. e256
• Main Authors: Wright, N, Wilson, L, Smith, M, Duncan, B, McHugh, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 20.03.2017; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/163/2743/137/773; 692/699/1702/393; 692/699/75; 692/700/1719; 692/700/2817; Adult; Aged; Body Mass Index; Cholesterol - blood; Clinical Nutrition; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diet therapy; Diet, Vegetarian; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - complications; Hypercholesterolemia - diet therapy; Hypertension - blood; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - diet therapy; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Myocardial Ischemia - blood; Myocardial Ischemia - complications; Myocardial Ischemia - diet therapy; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Obesity - diet therapy; Original; original-article; Overweight - blood; Overweight - complications; Overweight - diet therapy; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 2044-4052; 2044-4052
• DOI: 10.1038/nutd.2017.3

Background/Objective: There is little randomised evidence using a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet as intervention for elevated body mass index (BMI) or dyslipidaemia. We investigated the effectiveness of a community-based dietary programme. Primary end points: BMI and cholesterol at 6 months (subsequently extended). Subjects: Ages 35–70, from one general practice in Gisborne, New Zealand. Diagnosed with obesity or overweight and at least one of type 2 diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia. Of 65 subjects randomised (control n =32, intervention n =33), 49 (75.4%) completed the study to 6 months. Twenty-three (70%) intervention participants were followed up at 12 months. Methods: All participants received normal care. Intervention participants attended facilitated meetings twice-weekly for 12 weeks, and followed a non-energy-restricted WFPB diet with vitamin B 12 supplementation. Results: At 6 months, mean BMI reduction was greater with the WFPB diet compared with normal care (4.4 vs 0.4, difference: 3.9 kg m −2 (95% confidence interval (CI)±1), P <0.0001). Mean cholesterol reduction was greater with the WFPB diet, but the difference was not significant compared with normal care (0.71 vs 0.26, difference: 0.45 mmol l −1 (95% CI±0.54), P =0.1), unless dropouts were excluded (difference: 0.56 mmol l −1 (95% CI±0.54), P =0.05). Twelve-month mean reductions for the WFPB diet group were 4.2 (±0.8) kg m − 2 BMI points and 0.55 (±0.54, P =0.05) mmol l −1 total cholesterol. No serious harms were reported. Conclusions: This programme led to significant improvements in BMI, cholesterol and other risk factors. To the best of our knowledge, this research has achieved greater weight loss at 6 and 12 months than any other trial that does not limit energy intake or mandate regular exercise.