Another Peer‑Reviewed Study Shows Vegan Diet Outperforms Mediterranean for Weight Loss

A new study published in Frontiers in Nutrition has found that a low‑fat vegan diet leads to greater weight loss than the Mediterranean diet. Conducted by researchers at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in Washington, D.C., the randomized, cross‑over trial compared the two diets in overweight adults. The Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low‑fat dairy, and olive oil, was long considered a benchmark for healthy eating. The vegan diet, by contrast, excludes all animal products and focuses on fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, while limiting oils and nuts. In this study, the vegan diet proved more effective for weight management.

The trial involved sixty‑two overweight adults who followed each diet for sixteen weeks, separated by a four‑week washout period. Participants were randomly assigned to begin with either the Mediterranean diet or the low‑fat vegan diet. Researchers tracked changes in body weight and dietary patterns using plant‑based dietary indexes.

Results showed that participants lost significantly more weight on the vegan diet than on the Mediterranean diet. Increases in plant‑based dietary index scores, including even the “unhealthful” plant‑based index that accounts for foods such as refined grains and potatoes, were associated with weight loss independent of calorie intake. By contrast, the Mediterranean diet did not produce the same level of weight reduction, highlighting the vegan diet’s advantage in this trial.

The Mediterranean diet has long been praised for its health benefits, but this study demonstrates that a low‑fat vegan diet can not only match but surpass its outcomes for weight loss. With plant‑based foods already central to many traditional cuisines, adopting a vegan lifestyle offers both cultural adaptability and strong scientific support.