Is a Vegetarian Diet an Effective Choice for Weight Loss or Weight Control?
Is a Vegetarian Diet an Effective Choice for Weight Loss or Weight Control? In a study completed in 2003, it was found that approximately 4% of Canadians follow a vegetarian diet (“American Dietetic Association,” 2003). This type of diet concentrates on the consumption of plants for food. The most common type is the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, which restricts the intake of meat, poultry and fish, but allows the intake of eggs and dairy products (Vegetarian Diet, 2009). Many people become vegetarians because they feel it is wrong to kill or eat animals, but there are some that decide to follow a vegetarian diet because of its health benefits. One of these benefits includes attaining and maintaining a healthy body weight. Data has shown that people, who follow a vegetarian diet, are able to significantly improve their body weight. However, there are many risks associated with doing this. Despite the associated risks, it is believed that vegetarian diets are beneficial to weight loss as they improve overall biochemical, dietary and anthropometric measurements. The use of a vegetarian diet leads to a substantial improvement in many biochemical measurements that have an effect on overall health and weight. Biochemical measurements are the measurements of chemical substances that are involved in vital processes in the body (Biochemical, 2009). Cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations are important biochemical measurements that are affected by a vegetarian diet. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the body’s bloodstream and cells, which helps build cell membranes and some hormones. Having high cholesterol is a problem because it can lead to coronary heart disease (Cholesterol, 2008). Research shows that after being placed on a low fat, lacto-ovo vegetarian diet for two menstrual cycles, premenopausal women decreased their LDL, HDL and total cholesterol concentrations by 16.9% 16.5% and 13.2% respectively (Barnard, Scialli, Bertron, Hurlock, Edmonds, Talev, &