Vegetarian diet and type 2 diabetes: is there a link?

Abstract

Recently in the West there has been a surge in interest in vegetarianism - partial (lacto-vegetarian) or full (veganism). Vegetarianism can be considered a trend that is gaining popularity among Ukrainians. Medical attitudes towards vegetarianism have now changed as new studies have begun to emerge indicating a high risk of morbidity due to an overload of the body with animal protein, calories and saturated fat.Diet is one such lifestyle factor that can play a key role in the prevention of diabetes. Evidence suggests that a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, legumes and nuts may help reduce the risk of this condition. Therefore, it can be expected that vegetarians who do not consume meat and meat products and, less so in Western countries, often consume more nuts and legumes than non-vegetarians have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.Purpose – to investigate the relationship between adherence to a vegetarian diet and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as to study the data on the effect of a vegetarian diet on the rates of compensation for type 2 diabetes patients.Results. The current literature data regarding the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and adherence to a vegetarian diet based on the results of existing researches were studied. A number of clinical trials have been documented using a vegan or similar vegan diet for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. As a result, the subjects’ blood glucose levels decreased, as well as the required dosage of oral glucose-lowering drugs. Several studies show that a vegetarian diet is a way to prevent the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.Conclusions. A whole food vegan diet is safe for people with type 2 diabetes and has the same benefits, if not more, than the standard recommended diet. People who follow a vegetarian diet have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to non-vegetarians. Further research is needed to examinate the effects of a vegetarian diet on the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which may make it possible to change the approach to the generally accepted diet for this category of patients in the future.