A Nutritional Intervention in Police Officers

This study tests the hypotheses that a low-fat, plant-based (vegan) diet improves body
weight, plasma lipid concentrations, blood pressure, and, in individuals with type 2
diabetes, glycemic control, that a low-fat, plant-based diet improves health-related quality
of life as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36),
and that a low-fat, plant-based diet improves mood, as measured by the Center for
Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R).

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Men and women at least 18 years

2. Body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 and/or a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus, as defined
by a fasting plasma glucose concentration ≥ 126 mg/dl on two occasions or a prior
physician's diagnosis of type 2 diabetes

3. Currently an employee of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of
Columbia

4. Ability and willingness to participate in all components of the study

5. A willingness to be randomly assigned to either study group

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Alcohol consumption of more than 2 drinks per day or the equivalent, episodic
increased drinking (e.g., more than 2 drinks per day on weekends), or a history of
alcohol abuse or dependency followed by any current use

2. Use of recreational drugs in the past 6 months (past drug use, if fully recovered, is
not a criteria for exclusion)

3. Pregnancy

4. Unstable medical or psychiatric illness

5. Likely to be disruptive in group sessions (as determined by research staff)

6. Already following a low-fat, vegan diet

7. Lack of English fluency

8. Inability or unwillingness to participate in all components of the study