Dietary acid load on the Mediterranean and a vegan diet: a secondary analysis of a randomized, cross-over trial
Abstract
Background Evidence suggests that changes in dietary acid load may influence body weight, and the purpose of this secondary analysis was to assess its role in the context of the Mediterranean and a vegan diet in overweight adults. Methods In this randomized cross-over trial, 62 overweight adults were randomized to a Mediterranean or a low-fat vegan diet for 16-weeks, separated by a 4-week washout. Change in body weight was the primary outcome. Three-day dietary records were analyzed, and Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) and Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) were calculated as markers of dietary acid load, and their relationship was tested with changes in body weight. Results Compared with no change on the Mediterranean diet, PRAL and NEAP significantly decreased on the vegan diet; effect sizes: −25.8 (95% CI −34.1 to −17.5); p < 0.001; and −27.1 (95% CI −35.4 to −18.7); p < 0.001, respectively. Across both diets, changes in PRAL and NEAP were positively associated with changes in body weight in the first 16 weeks of the study: r = +0.34; p = 0.009; and r = +0.39; p = 0.002, respectively, as well as in the second 16 weeks: r = +0.59; p < 0.001, and r = +0.61; p < 0.001, respectively. Conclusion These findings suggest that, compared with the Mediterranean diet, dietary acid load decreased significantly on the low-fat vegan diet and was associated with weight loss. The alkalizing effect of a vegan diet may be an independent mechanism by which a vegan diet promotes weight…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 62 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
- Tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study
- A new aging measure captures morbidity and mortality risk across diverse subpopulations from NHANES IV: A cohort study
- Fruit, vegetable, and legume intake, and cardiovascular disease and deaths in 18 countries (PURE): a prospective cohort study
- Are noise and air pollution related to the incidence of dementia? A cohort study in London, England
- Long COVID symptoms and duration in SARS-CoV-2 positive children — a nationwide cohort study
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.