New research suggests that women who adhere to the largely plant-based Mediterranean diet may have a 23 percent lower risk of premature death. The study, which followed more than 25,000 women in the United States for up to 25 years, found that sticking to this diet regimen led to reductions in cholesterol, obesity, and insulin resistance. These are known risk factors for developing metabolic disorders like diabetes and heart disease.
The Mediterranean diet, characterized by its abundance of nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, features dishes primarily cooked in olive oil. It also includes a moderate consumption of fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Red meat and sweets are infrequently consumed in this dietary pattern.
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, PTI reported.
Lead author Shafqat Ahmad, a researcher at the Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, US, emphasized the significance of these findings, stating, "This finding underscores the potential of encouraging healthier dietary habits to reduce the overall risk of mortality."
In the Women's Health Study, researchers focused on participants aged at least 45 years old at the outset. These women completed questionnaires and furnished details on their weight, height, and body mass index, as well as information about their lifestyle, medical history, and social background. Additionally, their blood pressures were recorded as part of the study's data collection process.