Effects of Plant-Based Diets on Markers of Insulin Sensitivity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the effects of plant-based diets on markers of insulin sensitivity in people with overweight/obesity, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes (T2D). A systematic literature search in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL was conducted, and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of plant-based diets (vegan, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, and lacto-ovo-vegetarian) for ≥14 d on markers of insulin sensitivity in adults (≥18 years) with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, prediabetes, or T2D were eligible. We identified eight RCTs, including 716 participants. In comparison with control diets, plant-based diets improved Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (−0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) (−1.67, −0.27), p = 0.007) and fasting insulin (−4.13 µU/mL, 95% CI (−7.22, −1.04), p = 0.009) in people with overweight/obesity. In people with prediabetes, one study compared vegan and vegetarian diets and found no difference in HOMA-IR, or fasting insulin. One study of people with T2D reported no difference in immunoreactive insulin and metabolic glucose clearance compared with a conventional diabetes diet. In conclusion, adhering to plant-based diets for ≥14 d improved HOMA-IR and fasting insulin in people with overweight/obesity. Long-term RCTs are needed to determine whether plant-based diets can result in prolonged improvements in insulin sensitivity in people at risk of or with T2D.