AUTHOR=Singh Pramil N. , Jaceldo-Siegl Karen , Shih Wendy , Collado Nancy , Le Lap T. , Silguero Krystal , Estevez Dennys , Jordan Michael , Flores Hector , Hayes-Bautista David E. , McCarthy William J. 

TITLE=Plant-Based Diets Are Associated With Lower Adiposity Levels Among Hispanic/Latino Adults in the Adventist Multi-Ethnic Nutrition (AMEN) Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00034

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2019.00034

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> The Hispanic/Latino population in the US is experiencing high rates of obesity and cardio-metabolic disease that may be attributable to a nutrition transition away from traditional diets emphasizing whole plant foods. In the US, plant-based diets have been shown to be effective in preventing and controlling obesity and cardio-metabolic disease in large samples of primarily non-Hispanic subjects. Studying this association in US Hispanic/Latinos could inform culturally tailored interventions.</p><p><bold>Objective:</bold> To examine whether the plant-based diet pattern that is frequently followed by Hispanic/Latino Seventh-day Adventists is associated with lower levels of adiposity and adiposity-related biomarkers.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The Adventist Multiethnic Nutrition Study (AMEN) enrolled 74 Seventh-day Adventists from five Hispanic/Latino churches within a 20 mile radius of Loma Linda, CA into a cross-sectional study of diet (24 h recalls, surveys) and health (anthropometrics and biomarkers).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Vegetarian diet patterns (Vegan, Lacto-ovo vegetarian, Pesco-vegetarian) were associated with significantly lower BMI (24.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup> vs. 27.9 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, <italic>p</italic>  =  0.006), waist circumference (34.8 in vs. 37.5 in, <italic>p</italic>  =  0.01), and fat mass (18.3 kg vs. 23.9 kg, <italic>p</italic>  =  0.007), as compared to non-vegetarians. Adiposity was positively associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin-6) in this sample, but adjusting for this effect did not alter the associations with vegetarian diet.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Plant-based eating as practiced by US-based Hispanic/Latino Seventh-day Adventists is associated with BMI in the recommended range. Further work is needed to characterize this type of diet for use in obesity-related interventions among Hispanic/Latinos in the US.</p>