American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Now Recommend a Plant-Based Diet!

Yet another mainstream health organization is recommending a plant-based diet! This time it’s the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), which in their just-released 2018 guidelines suggest a PLANT-BASED DIET as the preferred eating pattern for patients with type 2 diabetes!

In the latest guidelines for type 2 diabetes management published by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, clinicians are advised to recommend a plant-based diet to their patients who have type 2 diabetes.

"Lifestyle therapy begins with nutrition counseling and education. All patients should strive to attain and maintain an optimal weight through a primarily plant-based diet high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, with limited intake of saturated fatty acids and avoidance of trans fats. Patients who are overweight (body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9) or obese (BMI ≥30) should also restrict their caloric intake with the goal of reducing body weight by at least 5 to 10%."^[1]

The AACE joins the ranks of other key health organizations that advise a plant-predominant diet, including:

✅ The proposed 2018 Canada Food Guide, which states “What is needed is a shift towards a high proportion of plant-based foods”^[2]

✅ The 2015 USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which stated “a dietary pattern that is higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods is more health promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact than is the current average U.S. diet.”^[3]

✅ The dietary guidelines of Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Qatar, and the Netherlands, as well as the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, & Sweden) - all of which recommend a more plant-based diet for human health and for environmental sustainability.^[4]

✅ The American Institute for Cancer Research, which suggests “eating mostly plant-based foods” as an important strategy for cancer prevention.^[5]

✅ The American Diabetes Association, which in its 2018 guidelines recommends a plant-based diet as a healthful option for people with type 2 diabetes.^[6]

The world is slowly but inevitably moving towards a more plant-centric diet. The faster the better for us, for our fellow beings, and for the planet.