No evidence of insulin resistance in normal weight vegetarians: a case control study.

Vegetarian diets may reduce insulin resistance and lower diabetes risk.

This study investigated the correlation between insulin resistance, nutritional habits, and age. Using the homeostatis model assessment (HOMA) method, researchers calculated the insulin resistance values of 95 normal weight vegetarians and 107 non-vegetarians between the ages of 19-64 years. The serum concentrations of fasting insulin and glucose were also measured in all the subjects.

Researchers discovered that the vegetarian group had lower insulin resistance values and plasma concentrations of fasting insulin and glucose than the non-vegetarians. Insulin resistance was observed to vary with age in the non-vegetarian group, with a significant increase seen in subjects within the age bracket of 31-40 years. The result of this study supports the hypothesis that vegetarian diets may diminish the risk of developing diabetes in healthy people, as well as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.