Objective: Nutrition and physical activity play significant roles in health promotion and disease prevention. Body weight changes in healthy individuals can be affected by dietary macronutrient composition. Excess fat accumulation and obesity onset are the results of an imbalance in the energy equation. Vegetarian diets have a lower energy content as compared to traditional mixed diets. Subjects and methods: Body mass index values (weight/height2) as well as nutrient levels in serum or plasma (cholesterol, triacylglycerols, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, glucose, uric acid, albumin, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin C,
-carotene) were measured in group of 34 adult lacto-ovo-vegetarians and compared with those values in 32 subjects on traditional diet (all probands with low physical activity level). Results: Values of body mass index, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, glucose and uric acid are significantly reduced in vegetarian group and in opposite, levels of HDL-cholesterol, vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin C,
-carotene are significantly higher. There was found a significant positive linear correlation between body mass index and cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, glucose and uric acid. The relationship between body mass index and folic acid, vitamin C,
-carotene values is significant negative linear. Albumin, vitamin B12, iron, calcium values are similar in both investigated groups or nonsignificantly lower in vegetarians. Correlation between body mass index values and four mentioned nutrient levels is showed as horizontal trend line. Conclusion: The results point out health benefits of vegetarian nutrition in prevention of obesity, cardiovascular disease and from wider aspect in prevention of free-radical diseases.

        Key words: traditional nutrition – vegetarians – body mass index – lipids – glucose –vitamin B12 – iron – vitamin C – vitamin E – folic acid –
-carotene