A 24-week trial showed that exercising and eating a calorie-restricted vegetarian diet decreases abdominal fat, plasma leptin and oxidative stress markers while improving insulin sensitivity and reducing insulin resistance, compared to a conventional diabetic diet. Weight loss produces better insulin and leptin function. Since both leptin and insulin help to control food intake, weight loss brings better physiological control of weight and appetite.
PositiveTip: Adopting a vegetarian diet can decrease weight and the risk of a host of chronic diseases, while providing better management of Type 2 diabetes.