2312-P: Carbohydrate-Reduced Nutrition Health Outcomes in Vegetarians (VEG) and Nonvegetarians (nonVEG)

Introduction and Objective: Carbohydrate (carb)-reduced nutrition is often considered incompatible with VEG as plant protein sources add carb. Virta offers remote, individualized carb-reduced nutrition to patients across the US with metabolic disease including T2D, while embracing personal & cultural dietary preferences including VEG. Methods: 815 self-identified VEG with T2D from our real-world population were matched 1:1 on age, sex, enrollment (E) BMI & HbA1c with nonVEG. Changes in weight (WT), HbA1c, and lipids from (E) to 1y (3 time points) were analyzed using mixed-effects models adjusted for age & sex, with within- and between-group differences assessed using a time*group interaction. Results: While matched for BMI, VEG had lower mean E WT than nonVEG (p<0.05). There were no differences in health improvements between the two groups except for greater reduction in trigs in nonVEG -27% than in VEG -12% (p<0.001). 1y trigs were in the normal range for both groups. Mean (SE) BHB was higher in non-VEG than VEG during the first 6m [0.42(0.01) vs 0.34(0.01), p<0.001], followed by a steeper decline in non-VEG, with values closer between groups during 6-12m [0.27(0.01) vs 0.23(0.01); p=0.04]. Conclusion: Carb-reduced nutrition is associated with health benefits in VEG & nonVEG with T2D, despite lower BHB. VEG & nonVEG carb-reduced diets may be equally effective in improving health for people with T2D. Disclosure C. Roberts: Employee; Current; Virta Health Corp. Stock/Shareholder; Current; Virta Health Corp. Advisory Panel; Current; Coalition for Metabolic Health. S.J. Athinarayanan: Employee; Current; Virta Health Corp. Stock/Shareholder; Current; Virta Health Corp. A. Zoller: Employee; Current; Virta Health Corp.