A recent study has found that women who closely followed a Mediterranean diet lived significantly longer than those who did not.
The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, asked 25,315 healthy women about their diets and collected blood and other biomarkers between 1993 and 1996, with follow-up evaluations between 2018 and 2023.
The findings revealed that closely following the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of early death by 23%, death from cancer by 17%, and death from cardiovascular disease by 20%.
Dr. Samia Mora, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School noted, "For women interested in longevity, our study shows that following a Mediterranean dietary pattern could result in about a one-quarter reduction in risk of death over more than 25 years, with benefits for both cancer and cardiovascular mortality."
Meanwhile, Dr. David Katz, founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, noted, "In this study, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was a proxy for diet quality. Those who adhered most closely were eating more legumes, more vegetables, more fruits, less meat, and less processed meats."
While the study was observational and could not establish a direct cause and effect, Katz pointed out that the findings align with numerous other studies on the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
What is the Mediterranean diet and its benefits?
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes simple, plant-based cooking, focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, and extra-virgin olive oil.
It minimizes the use of fats other than olive oil, such as butter, and avoids sugar and refined foods.
Red meat is used sparingly, while healthy, oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids are encouraged. Eggs, dairy, and poultry are consumed in smaller portions compared to the traditional Western diet.
Research shows that the Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of breast cancer, dementia, depression, diabetes, high cholesterol, and memory loss.
It also promotes stronger bones, a healthier heart, longer life, and healthy weight loss.
