The Effect of an Online Plant-Based Dietary Program on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Persons With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Exclusion Criteria

• •1. Insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes in combination with hypoglycemia unawareness. Hypoglycemia unawareness is defined as the onset of hypoglycemia before the appearance of autonomic symptoms or failure to recognize hypoglycemia.
• •2. Two or more episodes of severe hypoglycemia (glucose \< 3 mmol/L) during the last 3 months;
• •3. Uncontrolled T2D, defined as a HbA1c \>86 mmol/mol (\>10%);
• •4. Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as an office systolic blood pressure ≥ 180mmHg;
• •5. Inability to attend at least 60% of the scheduled meetings;
• •6. Pregnancy or a wish to get pregnant during the study period;
• •7. Diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia;
• •8. Being diagnosed with osteoporosis.
• •9. Known vitamin B12 deficiency, defined as serum vitamin B12 \<130 pmol/L or using vitamin B12 supplements prescribed by a physician;
• •10. Known iron deficiency defined as a serum ferritin \< 25µg/L for males or \< 20µg/L for females or using iron supplements prescribed by a physician;;
• •11. The presence of any disease for which the patients uses a specific diet and where transitioning to a plant-based diet might lead to unfavorable effects on this disease as judged by the research team and/or the treating physician. An exception is a salt-restricted diet for hypertension;
• •12. Current or planned participation in any other interventional study within 30 days of signing the informed consent form;
• •13. Any medical, social or physiological circumstance which might interfere with the study, based on judgement by the principal investigator.