The CARING Study: Nutrition Guidance for Type 2 Diabetes

The CARING study is looking at how a low-fat, vegan diet can help people with type 2 diabetes. This diet focuses on whole grains, vegetables, beans, and fruits, without limiting how much you eat. It also avoids animal products and added oils. The study wants to see if this diet can improve your health and potentially lower healthcare costs. To join, you need to be at least 18 years old, have type 2 diabetes, and be a Blue Cross Blue Shield subscriber for the past year. The study will measure things like your body weight and blood fat levels (plasma lipid concentrations) over two years to see how well the diet works. The current status of this study is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 700 participants. Individuals with type 2 diabetes will be randomly selected and invited to participate, with a matched control group.
What's involved
You would attend weekly online nutrition classes and follow a low-fat, vegan diet for the first 16 weeks. Body weight, blood fat levels, and other measures will be taken at the start and at 16 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your medical utilization will be tracked for two years after the initial 16-week intervention. Blood fat levels and HbA1C will be checked every six months during this two-year period.

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NCT05795439

The CARING Study: Creating and Restoring Health Through Nutrition Guidance

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
~700 participants
Updated 2026-04-13 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Low-fat, vegan diet

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Medical Utilization
Measured over 16 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years
+3 more outcomes measured
Type2diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes Treated With Insulin
1 sites across 1 states
District of Columbia1
  • Neal Barnard, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

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  • Medical Utilization16 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years

    This study will assess the effectiveness of a series of plant-based nutrition classes on health changes, measured by combined subscriber and insurance total cost of care (healthcare and health benefits).

  • Body Weight16 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years

    This study will assess the association of attending a series of plant-based nutrition classes with pre-post changes in body weight.

  • Plasma Lipid Concentrations16 weeks, Every 6 months during the 2-year follow-up period

    This study will assess the association of attending a series of plant-based nutrition classes with pre-post changes in plasma lipid concentrations.

  • HbA1C16 weeks, Every 6 months during the 2-year follow-up period

    This study will assess the association of attending a series of plant-based nutrition classes on with pre-post changes in glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes as assessed by hemoglobic A1c (HbA1c) and use of medications.