Plant-based food for weight loss
This collaborative project between researchers from Norway, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Great Britain investigates the effects of certain amino-acids on obesity. These amino-acids, the so-called sulfur amino-acids (SAA), are present in high amounts in animal-derived proteins and much less in plant-derived proteins.
Within the Dutch part of the project a large population-based study is used, i.e. The Maastricht Study, to investigate if people who consume a high amount of SAA, e.g. who normally consume substantial amounts of animal–derived foods, generally have a higher body weight and/or more fat. Other project partners will investigate whether a plant-based diet that is low in SAA induces weight-loss in overweight or obese persons. To understand the mechanism by which SAA regulate energy metabolism and obesity, SAA is measured, their derived-products and several indicators of metabolism in blood and/or urine of the study participants.
In the Dutch part of the project, a public private partnership is established with VITAS Analytical Services. They contribute to the project via measurements of fatty acid profiles and appetite hormones in blood samples. According to the World Health Organization, currently over 2 billion people are overweight and 700 million are obese. This poses a major threat to society because it is a major contributor to the global epidemic of e.g. diabetes and cardiovascular disease and it predisposes to certain types of cancers. This has a strong negative impact on quality of life and the global economy. This project will enhance understanding of the mechanisms by which a primarily plant-based diet low in SAA content can benefit human metabolic health. By integrating all findings generated in the project it is seeked to identify risk groups likely to benefit from a diet restricted in SAA. Taken together, the impact of the expected results will aid in risk stratification, prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases.
