Mediterranean Diet may Reduce Risk of Diabetes: Study

A recent study suggests that taking up a Mediterranean diet could help to decrease the risk of diabetes, particularly among those who may be at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

According to researchers, they found that an analysis of studies regarding the diet and its link to a reduction in diabetic symptoms illustrated a 21 percent reduced risk of diabetes when compared to other control dietary groups. This reduced rate was particularly prominent among people at high risk for cardiovascular disease, with some 27 percent less likely to develop diabetes compared to the controls.

"Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of age, sex, race or culture," said Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Ph.D., professor at Harokopio University, Athens, Greece, and lead investigator of this meta-analysis, via a press release. "This diet has a beneficial effect, even in high risk groups, and speaks to the fact that it is never too late to start eating a healthy diet."

For the study, researchers systematically reviewed 19 original researchers' studies that looked at more than 162,000 participants for an average of 5.5 years, spanning populations from European to non-European areas. As study authors point out how most of the findings have been European-based, certain confounding factors, including genetics, regions, the environment, lower stress levels and lifestyle in general, were taken into account. However, they note that the link between the diet and a lowered risk of diabetes remained.

"A meta-analysis captures the limitations of individual studies, and this type of study is important to help inform guidelines and evidence-based care," Panagiotakos added, via the release. "Diabetes is an ongoing epidemic and its relation to obesity, especially in the Westernized populations, is well known. We have to do something to prevent diabetes and changing our diet may be an effective treatment."

What do you think?

More information regarding the findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63^rd Annual Scientific Session.