Effects of a dietary intervention with Mediterranean and vegetarian diets on hormones that influence energy balance: results from the CARDIVEG study

A randomised, open, crossover trial with two intervention periods was used to compare the effects of a 3-month dietary intervention with Mediterranean diet (MD) and vegetarian diet (VD) on hormones that influence energy balance, and to investigate the relationship with changes in body composition. After 3 months, no significant differences between the two diets were observed. Both MD and VD resulted in a significant (p < .05) reduction in leptin-to-adiponectin ratio and anthropometric parameters, MD resulted in a significant decrease in leptin levels (-7.4%), while VD determined a significant increase in adiponectin (+6.8%) and a significant decrease in visfatin (-12.7%) levels. In both groups, changes in leptin, insulin and HOMA-IR were significantly and positively correlated with changes in anthropometric parameters. In conclusion, both MD and VD have led to a slight but significant improvement in hormones that influence energy balance. The effect was more evident in participants who lost weight and fat mass.