Effects of a dietary intervention with Mediterranean and vegetarian diets on hormones that influence energy balance: results from the CARDIVEG study

Abstract

A randomised, open, crossover trial with two intervention periods was used to compare the effects of a 3-month dietary intervention with Mediterranean diet (MD) and vegetarian diet (VD) on hormones that influence energy balance, and to investigate the relationship with changes in body composition. After 3 months, no significant differences between the two diets were observed. Both MD and VD resulted in a significant (p < .05) reduction in leptin-to-adiponectin ratio and anthropometric parameters, MD resulted in a significant decrease in leptin levels (–7.4%), while VD determined a significant increase in adiponectin (+6.8%) and a significant decrease in visfatin (–12.7%) levels. In both groups, changes in leptin, insulin and HOMA-IR were significantly and positively correlated with changes in anthropometric parameters. In conclusion, both MD and VD have led to a slight but significant improvement in hormones that influence energy balance. The effect was more evident in participants who lost weight and fat mass.

Keywords:

• Trial
• vegetarian diet
• Mediterranean diet
• hormones

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the staff of the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Section of Diabetes and Nutrition of the Careggi University Hospital for their invaluable contribution and the participants for their consistent cooperation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).