Plant-Based Diets as a Therapeutic Strategy for Obesity: Modulation of Adipogenesis, Inflammation, Energy Homeostasis, and Metabolic Dysfunction
11 affiliations
- 1Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
- 2Department of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
- 3Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2X8, Canada
- 4Global NASH/MASH Council Center for Outcomes Research in Liver Disease, Washington, DC 20037, USA
- 5Global Center for Liver Outcomes & Policy Research, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
- 6Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Sorbonne University, 75012 Paris, France
- 7Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- 8Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
- 9Gastroenterology Research Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
- 10Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1B 3V6, Canada
- 11Aroga Lifestyle Medicine, Victoria, BC V8Z 5G5, Canada
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease driven by dysregulated energy balance, appetite, adipose tissue function, and metabolic homeostasis. Dietary modification remains central to long-term management. Plant-based diets (PBDs), particularly those emphasizing minimally processed plant foods, are associated with lower adiposity and improved cardiometabolic health. This review synthesizes human evidence on weight-loss efficacy and mechanisms linking PBDs to obesity and adiposity-related outcomes. Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidance, PubMed and Scopus were searched for English-language adult human studies published from January 2010 to August 2026. Of 1439 records identified and 1297 screened after deduplication, 168 studies met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized descriptively. Results: Human studies support beneficial effects of PBDs on spontaneous energy intake, insulin sensitivity, visceral and ectopic lipid accumulation, and circulating lipid profiles. Clinical trials indicate that PBDs can support weight loss, although superiority over other dietary approaches needs further exploration. Proposed mechanisms include lower dietary energy density and greater satiation, improved lipid partitioning, increased postprandial energy expenditure, reduced oxidative and inflammatory stress, and altered gut microbial metabolism and enteroendocrine signaling. Evidence also suggests diet-responsive epigenetic changes. Direct human evidence for effects on central appetite circuitry, brown or beige adipose tissue, and weight-independent molecular pathways remains limited. Conclusions: High-quality PBDs represent a biologically coherent and scalable strategy for obesity management, with evidence suggesting benefits for energy intake and selected aspects of cardiometabolic health, including energy intake, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, systemic inflammation, and gut-derived signaling. These effects position high-quality PBDs as a promising strategy for reducing the risk of obesity-related complications, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, MASLD, and selected cancers. Further well-designed controlled trials will help clarify the independent contributions of dietary composition and the beneficial effects mediated through reduced energy intake and sustained weight loss.
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BibTeX
@article{shi2026plantbased,
title = {{Plant-Based Diets as a Therapeutic Strategy for Obesity: Modulation of Adipogenesis, Inflammation, Energy Homeostasis, and Metabolic Dysfunction}},
author = {Hanyue Shi and Jared Sieusahai and Marina Kamel and Clarence Wong and Andrew Mason and Zobair Younossi and Christophe Corpechot and Eduardo Grunvald and Olexandr Troshyn and Andrea Galli and Sahar Iqbal and Jasdeep Saluja and Sebastian Straube and Ellina Lytvyak},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/nu18213592},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3592},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Plant-Based Diets as a Therapeutic Strategy for Obesity: Modulation of Adipogenesis, Inflammation, Energy Homeostasis, and Metabolic Dysfunction
AU - Hanyue Shi
AU - Jared Sieusahai
AU - Marina Kamel
AU - Clarence Wong
AU - Andrew Mason
AU - Zobair Younossi
AU - Christophe Corpechot
AU - Eduardo Grunvald
AU - Olexandr Troshyn
AU - Andrea Galli
AU - Sahar Iqbal
AU - Jasdeep Saluja
AU - Sebastian Straube
AU - Ellina Lytvyak
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Nutrients
DO - 10.3390/nu18213592
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3592
AB - Background and Objectives: Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease driven by dysregulated energy balance, appetite, adipose tissue function, and metabolic homeostasis. Dietary modification remains central to long-term management. Plant-based diets (PBDs), particularly those emphasizing minimally processed plant foods, are associated with lower adiposity and improved cardiometabolic health. This review synthesizes human evidence on weight-loss efficacy and mechanisms linking PBDs to obesity and adiposity-related outcomes. Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidance, PubMed and Scopus were searched for English-language adult human studies published from January 2010 to August 2026. Of 1439 records identified and 1297 screened after deduplication, 168 studies met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized descriptively. Results: Human studies support beneficial effects of PBDs on spontaneous energy intake, insulin sensitivity, visceral and ectopic lipid accumulation, and circulating lipid profiles. Clinical trials indicate that PBDs can support weight loss, although superiority over other dietary approaches needs further exploration. Proposed mechanisms include lower dietary energy density and greater satiation, improved lipid partitioning, increased postprandial energy expenditure, reduced oxidative and inflammatory stress, and altered gut microbial metabolism and enteroendocrine signaling. Evidence also suggests diet-responsive epigenetic changes. Direct human evidence for effects on central appetite circuitry, brown or beige adipose tissue, and weight-independent molecular pathways remains limited. Conclusions: High-quality PBDs represent a biologically coherent and scalable strategy for obesity management, with evidence suggesting benefits for energy intake and selected aspects of cardiometabolic health, including energy intake, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, systemic inflammation, and gut-derived signaling. These effects position high-quality PBDs as a promising strategy for reducing the risk of obesity-related complications, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, MASLD, and selected cancers. Further well-designed controlled trials will help clarify the independent contributions of dietary composition and the beneficial effects mediated through reduced energy intake and sustained weight loss.
SN - 2072-6643
ER -