Ruben Studdard's Example Underscores Obesity-Fighting Power of Vegetarian Diets
Doctors Offer Free Vegetarian Starter Kit to Consumers Who Want to Emulate American Idol Winner and Shed Unwanted Pounds
Ruben Studdard made a big
impression in 2003 when he
beat an army of rivals to win
top prize on American Idol.
But now the velvet-voiced R&B
singer is making headlines
for what he has lost: almost
100 pounds. Studdard has gone
vegetarian.
That's not a fluke, according
to nutrition researcher Neal
Barnard, M.D., president of
the Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine. PCRM's
research has consistently supported
the weight-trimming power of
low-fat vegetarian diets.
In a study published in the
August issue of Diabetes
Care,
Dr. Barnard and his fellow
researchers found that a low-fat
vegetarian diet helped people
with diabetes shed unwanted
pounds, as well as improve
their blood sugar control and
cholesterol levels. In another
study, published last year
in The
American Journal of Medicine, Dr. Barnard and his
co-authors found that a low-fat,
plant-based diet is more effective
for weight loss and improving
insulin sensitivity than an
omnivorous diet.
“People who follow Ruben
Studdard's example will find
that they can shed unwanted
pounds while enjoying fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and
other healthful foods,” says
Dr. Barnard. “A vegetarian
diet won't make you an R&B
superstar, but it is an extremely
effective way to lose weight."
Other scientific studies support
the health value of plant-based
diets. In a recent study of
more than 55,000 Swedish women,
Tufts University researcher
P. Kirstin Newby and her colleagues
found that 40 percent of meat-eaters
were overweight or obese while
only 25 to 29 percent of vegetarians
and vegans were. Worldwide,
vegetarian populations experience
lower rates of heart disease,
diabetes, and high blood pressure.
PCRM offers a free Vegetarian
Starter Kit, which includes
recipes, nutrition information,
and a three-step plan for moving
to a healthier diet. The guide
is available online at www.GoVegetarian.org.
For a copy of PCRM's studies
or an interview with Dr. Neal
Barnard, please contact Patrick
Sullivan at 202-686-2210, ext.
311, or psullivan@pcrm.org.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians
Committee for Responsible
Medicine is a nonprofit
health organization that
promotes preventive medicine,
especially good nutrition.
PCRM also conducts clinical
research studies, opposes
unethical human experimentation,
and promotes alternatives
to animal research.
Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.,
Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20016
Phone: 202-686-2210 | E-mail: pcrm@pcrm.org |
