:-)
I know, it seems intuitive, but they did a study anyway...
Study says meat eaters more likely to be obese than vegetarians
A new study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that women who are vegetarians are less likely to be obese than those who eat meat.
These findings mean that replacing meat products in the diet with vegetables could actually help in controlling weight. The study which was conducted on more than 55,000 Swedish women found that those who identified themselves as vegetarian weighed less than their meat-eating counterparts.
The study included those who consumed dairy products (lactovegetarians), and "semivegetarians," who said they sometimes ate fish or eggs; in the vegan group. It found that vegetarians were two-thirds less likely than meat eaters to be obese. P. Kirstin Newby, a researcher at Tufts University in Boston, said that though this was not a weight loss study, it would definitely help in planning a weight controlling diet.
The study quizzed 55,459 healthy middle-aged and older women about their eating habits, weight and other health and lifestyle factors. Vegetarians were found to have the lowest average body mass index (BMI). Additionally, 40 per cent of meat-eaters were found to be obese, while only 25 percent of the vegetarians were overweight.
Researchers say that the study is a significant pointer to the fact that not all carbohydrates are equal. A fiber-rich diet is generally advocated as a healthy one, "Plant foods are generally high-carb, but they also contain a lot of fiber -- which helps you to feel full -- and they also have other nutrients that are important to overall health," Newby commented. She added that it was important to note that eating a plant-based diet could help in fighting cancer and heart disease.
She also emphasized that meat eaters should limit saturated fat by choosing lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products. |
