Mediterranean diet paired with other changes prevents diabetes in older adults

Eating a Mediterranean diet — including lots of produce, whole grains and healthy fats — while also adding a few healthy lifestyle behaviors, could lower your diabetes risk by almost a third.

That’s according to research published Aug. 25 in Annals of Internal Medicine, which found that following a Mediterranean-style diet along with calorie control, regular activity and professional support cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 31%. 

The findings come from the PREDIMED-Plus trial, a six-year study of nearly 4,800 older adults in Spain who were overweight or obese and at risk of diabetes.

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“In practical terms, adding calorie control and physical activity to the Mediterranean diet prevented around three out of every 100 people from developing diabetes,” co-author Miguel Martínez-González, professor at the University of Navarra in Spain, said in a press release.

“That’s a clear, measurable benefit for public health.”

“We’re facing a global epidemic of diabetes,” co-author Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said in the release.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the world’s fastest-growing health conditions, affecting nearly 16% of U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts say simple lifestyle changes could help prevent millions of new cases.

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What the diet looks like

The Mediterranean diet primarily consists of the following ingredients.

• Plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts
• Moderate amounts of fish, lean proteins and dairy
• Little to no red meat

This way of eating has been linked to better heart health, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation.

The Mediterranean diet has been linked to better heart health, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation. (iStock)

Registered dietitian and food blogger Lauren Harris-Pincus, based in New Jersey, previously spoke to Fox News Digital about the benefits of whole-food diets like this one.

“Fiber-rich carbohydrates like fruit, veggies, beans/legumes, nuts and whole grains are beneficial to meeting fiber goals, supporting gut health and helping to prevent lifestyle diseases,” she said. 

Study design

The study looked at nearly 4,800 people in Spain who were overweight or obese and at risk of diabetes.

Half of the group followed a Mediterranean diet while also incorporating additional lifestyle changes, including cutting about 600 calories a day, adding moderate exercise (like brisk walking or light strength training), and receiving professional weight-loss support.

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The other half followed a Mediterranean diet without calorie restriction, exercise guidance or extra support.

After six years, the first group had a 31% lower risk of developing diabetes. On average, they also lost 3.3 kilograms (about 7 pounds) and trimmed 3.6 centimeters (about 1.4 inches) from their waistlines.

“Adding calorie control and physical activity to the Mediterranean diet prevented around three out of every 100 people from developing diabetes.”

The control group lost significantly less, only 0.6 kilograms (1.3 pounds), and had almost no change in waist size.

“The best lifestyle strategy to reduce the risk of diabetes is to lose weight by adhering to a healthy, energy-reduced diet and increasing physical activity,” co-author Jordi Salas-Salvadó, M.D., PhD, professor at the University of Rovira i Virgili in Spain, told Fox News Digital.

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While the Mediterranean diet isn’t the only eating plan that could help prevent diabetes, it offers a “highly sustainable, long-term weight-loss option,” he added.

Salas-Salvadó noted that no previous trial has assessed the effect of reducing calories in the context of a healthy, relatively high-fat diet.

After six years, the group that modified their diet, exercised regularly and received professional support had a 31% lower risk of developing diabetes. (iStock)

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but has previously spoken about the effects of the Mediterranean diet.

“The alternative — saturated fats, salts and sugars — are not heart-healthy and increase the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, all of which increase mortality risks,” he told Fox News Digital.

Potential limitations

The study’s approach of monitoring diet, physical activity and weight loss makes it difficult to gauge which factor had the most impact, according to Salas-Salvadó.

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He also pointed out that because the participants were older adults in Spain, further studies are needed to assess outcomes in other populations, like younger people and non-Mediterranean populations.