Mediterranean diet associated with 23% reduction in mortality, study finds

THE Mediterranean diet has long been considered a heart-healthy option, but a new study has found that this diet may help reduce the risk of death.

For the study, published in JAMA Network Open Friday, researchers examined 25,315 women over the age of 25 and found that greater adherence to the diet was associated with a 23% reduction in risk of all-cause mortality. . A reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality has also been noted.

A Mediterranean diet, modeled on the traditional cuisines of the region, emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetablesfish, legumes, nuts and whole grains.

Researchers collected baseline health information from participants between 1993 and 1996, which included data on 33 blood biomarkers, self-reported weight, lifestyle and more. The participants, who were all health professionals with an average age of 54.6 years, then completed health questionnaires every six months during the first year, then annually. Data analysis took place from 2018 to 2023, using medical and death records to determine mortality and cause of death.

“Participants with greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet generally had a healthier lifestyle, including lower BMI and higher consumption of fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes and fish, while consuming less red and processed meat,” the authors note. “A higher Mediterranean diet score was associated with a healthier overall biomarker profile.”

This isn’t the first time research has highlighted the diet as a healthy way to eat. A study last year found that the diet could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in women by 24%, although this was a meta-analysis of 16 previous studies.

The latest study, however, had some limitations, including a lack of racial and ethnic diversity. Participants were middle-aged and older, well-educated women who predominantly (just over 94%) self-identified as white. This may limit the generalizability of the results, the authors note.

Diet compliance was also assessed using dietary questionnaires, which might have contained misclassifications.