| The objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the effect of replacing animal with plant protein on glycemic control in diabetes and to perform a cross-sectional study using baseline data from 5 RCTs to assess the relationship between replacing animal with plant protein on HbA1c in type 2 diabetes. The SRMA of 12 trials (n=240) showed diets emphasizing replacement of animal with major plant protein sources significantly lowered HbA1c, fasting glucose and fasting insulin compared with control diets. Our cross-sectional study (n=627) showed substitution of animal with plant protein was not associated with HbA1c change. Overall, the results suggest that replacement of animal with plant protein leads to modest improvements in glycemic control in diabetes, however research is needed to address the limitations of our SRMA and lack of agreement with the associations seen in our cross-sectional study. |
