{
  "id": 390597,
  "title": "Low-fat vegan diet cuts dietary energy density by nearly a third, helping explain weight loss",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/low-fat-vegan-diet-cuts-dietary-energy-density-by-nearly-a-third",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-09T15:40:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-fat-vegan-diet-dietary-energy.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that following a low-fat vegan diet leads to a 30% reduction in dietary energy density, which helps people eat fewer calories without feeling deprived. In a randomized clinical trial, adults with overweight who adopted an ad libitum low-fat vegan diet saw substantial weight loss despite being given no calorie limits. The diet, rich in water and fiber, allowed participants to consume larger portions of plant-based foods, feeling full while still taking in fewer calories. This shift in energy density, driven by eliminating calorie-dense animal foods and increasing intake of high-volume, low-energy-density plant foods, helps explain how weight loss is possible without calorie counting or going hungry.",
  "summary": "A low-fat vegan diet lowers the energy density of the foods people eat by roughly 30%, allowing them to eat satisfying amounts of food while taking in fewer calories and losing weight—without deliberately restricting calories—according to new research published in JAMA Network Open.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}