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Effect of Predominantly Plant-Based Diets on Visceral Fat: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Vinu Vij1, Kalyani Deshmukh2, Mathavaswami Vijayageetha3
1Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, India.
Background:
Visceral fat (VF) is a key contributor to metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Predominantly plant-based diets (PPBDs) have been linked to improved body composition and metabolic health. This systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) evaluated the impact of PPBDs on VF.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library (up to November 2024) identified 13 studies (10 cross-sectional, 2 randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 1 non-randomized intervention) with a total of 4000 participants reporting VF outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2.0, ROBINS-I and JBI tools. Meta-analyses used random-effects models, with heterogeneity and publication bias assessed via statistical tests and Doi plots.
Results:
RCTs indicated a trend toward VF reduction in those following a PPBD (pooled mean difference: -177.99 cm³; 95% CI: -475.83 to 119.85). Cross-sectional studies showed significantly lower VF with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet (SMD: -0.45; 95% CI: -0.73 to -0.17; I² = 70%) and modest reductions with vegetarian diets (SMD: -0.24; 95% CI: -0.47 to -0.02; I² = 0%). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings. Certainty of evidence was rated very low.
Conclusion:
PPBDs appear to be associated with lower VF and improved metabolic health, though the certainty of evidence remains very low. Further, well-powered RCTs are needed to confirm these findings.
Trial Registration:
PROSPERO; ID: CRD42024617129. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024617129.
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