Mediterranean Diet Alone Protects Against Diabetes, Study Confirms

A latest study from Spain suggests that adhering to a Mediterranean-diet helps in preventing diabetes in those who suffer at a greater risk of heart disease.

A team of Spanish researchers claim that patients suffering with a high cardiovascular risk can reduce their risk for diabetes by strictly adhering to just Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil. The study was conducted on over 3,500 Spanish older adults who suffered a high risk of heart disease.

Participants were mostly white, older adults of age 55-80 years. They were asked to follow three types of diets -a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil; Mediterranean diets supplemented with mixed nuts or were asked to consume a low fat diet.

At the beginning of the study none of the participants had a history of diabetes but did suffer from at least three major risk factors for heart disease that included high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and obesity. A Mediterranean diet mostly consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish apart from olive oil.

Every year, the subjects were asked about their intake to ensure whether or not they were consuming the assigned diet. The consumption of extra virgin olive oil or nuts was analyzed through blood and urine tests.

The researchers noticed that nearly 80 people consuming the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil developed diabetes. About 92 subjects consuming the Mediterranean diet with nuts developed diabetes. Higher number of diabetes cases was seen in the group eating a low fat diet as 101 subjects were tested positive for diabetes.

Based on the test that was conducted over a four year period, the researchers noticed that people following the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin oil were 40 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, source LiveScience.  Those belonging to the group that consumed nuts lowered the risk by 18 percent, which was not statistically significant.

"The important message from this study is the value of a Mediterranean diet plan to satiety and overall health," said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. "Inclusion of plant foods, including nuts, along with the use of olive oil in place of solid fats provides a wider variety of phytonutrients, which promote health, aid metabolism and provide feelings of fullness, all important aspects of weight control."

The study was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.