OBJECTIVES: Plant-based diets, or “vegetarian” diets, have been shown to be associated with reduced risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. Diabetes, a major risk factor for CVD, is among the most prevalent and costly conditions worldwide. The aim of the study was to evaluate the economic impact of switching to vegetarian diets, from a United States (US) societal perspective.

METHODS: The annual direct and indirect costs due to type 2 diabetes are initially calculated based on US population size, diabetes prevalence, and annual per-patient costs associated with diabetes. Based on diabetes rate reductions reported in the literature, and assuming that 50% of patients follow a vegetarian diet, the costs are recalculated. The number of patients with diabetes is reported with and without vegetarian diet uptake. Total direct, indirect, and overall costs are reported in 2017 US dollars. Sensitivity analyses are conducted for diabetes rate reductions reflecting different diet types, and by varying diet uptake rates.

RESULTS: A 12% reduction (~2.7 million patients) in the number of patients with diabetes was estimated with the adoption of a vegetarian diet. This led to $23.8 billion and $9.3 billion in savings of direct and indirect costs, respectively, summing to an overall $33.1 billion. In sensitivity analyses, the savings doubled with 100% adoption and varied between $3.9 billion and $66.1 billion when different risk reduction figures and vegetarian diet types were considered.

CONCLUSIONS: The results from this economic assessment suggest that the adoption of a vegetarian diet will result in considerable savings in direct and indirect costs in the US. The type of vegetarian diet chosen may have a significant role in the amount of savings predicted.