Study finds Mediterranean diet is linked to lower mortality risk in women
Women consuming the largely plant-based Mediterranean diet were found to be at a 23 per cent lower risk of dying prematurely, according to a new research. The study following more than 25,000 US women for up to 25 years found that adhering to the diet reduced cholesterol, obesity and insulin resistance, all of which are known risk factors for developing metabolic disorders, including diabetes and heart disease.
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The Mediterranean diet is rich in nuts, fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains and legumes. The dishes are mainly cooked in olive oil and also include a moderate intake of fish, poultry, dairy and eggs. Red meat and sweets are rarely consumed.
Adopting this diet pattern was also found to lower risk of death due to cancer in the women studied. The findings were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
«Our research provides significant public health insight: even modest changes in established risk factors for metabolic diseases can yield substantial long-term benefits from following a Mediterranean diet. This finding underscores the potential of encouraging healthier dietary habits to reduce the overall risk of mortality,» said lead author Shafqat Ahmad, a researcher at the Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, US.
The researchers included participants aged at least 45 years at the start of the
