Os benefícios da alimentação vegetariana no diabetes mellitus tipo 2.

Objective: The present study aims to identify the benefits of vegetarian diets on diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). Materials and Methods: An integrative review of the literature using the Medline/Pubmed, LILACS and Google Scholar databases. Articles published in the last 10 years were selected in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. 4,370 articles were identified and 15 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria of the study. Results: The articles were organized in the following categories: dietary intake, in which there was an increase in the consumption of carbohydrates and fibers, reduction in protein consumption and no significant changes in fat consumption but with a reduction in the consumption of saturated fats in the participants of the experimental groups; body weight, with some articles demonstrating the significant reduction in the weight of participants who adopted the strict vegetarian diet; glycemic control, with improvement in Hb1Ac levels following the strict vegetarian diet; lower plasma lipids; lower prevalence and incidence of DM2 among vegetarians. Conclusion: We found that vegetarian diets, which are characterized by low saturated fat and higher intake of high-fiber carbohydrates, are effective in decreasing and controlling plasma glucose, assisting in the control and reduction of weight and lipid profile in patients with DM2, offering additional benefits for the comorbidities of the disease. Consumption of complex carbohydrates, high-fiber foods, and reduced saturated fat consumption tends to favor DM2 control, treatment, and prevention. The prevalence and the chances of developing DM2 increase according to the amount of food of animal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]