Mediterranean Diet Research

 March 15, 2023 - Mediterranean diet reduces risk of heart disease, death in women - University of Sydney, Australia
”A University of Sydney-led review into the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in women has found women who followed a Mediterranean diet had up to 24 percent lower risk of heart disease and a 23 percent lower risk of death.”

March 8, 2023 - Mind and Mediterranean Diets Associated with Fewer Alzheimer’s Plaques and Tangles - American Academy of Neurology
"People who eat diets rich in green leafy vegetables as well as other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts and fish may have fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles in their brain—signs of Alzheimer’s disease—than people who do not consume such diets, according to a study published in the March 8, 2023..." Researchers “…examined how closely people followed the MIND and Mediterranean diets. While similar, the Mediterranean diet recommends vegetables, fruit, and three or more servings of fish per week while the MIND diet prioritizes green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens along with other vegetables. The MIND diet also prioritizes berries over other fruit and recommends one or more servings of fish per week."

Oct. 11, 2023 - Research suggests gut microbiome plays a role in lifestyle’s effects on dementia risk - Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute
Researchers "... reviewed all of the existing research on diet and exercise interventions that looked at both the microbiome and brain health." In one study involving 1200 older adults "Half of the participants were asked to follow a Mediterranean-style diet for 12 months, while the other half were not. Those in the Mediterranean diet group showed significant improvements in cognition. As well, those who followed the diet more closely had healthier microbiomes associated with better brain health."

May 5, 2021 - A Mediterranean diet might protect against memory loss and dementia - German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Researchers used MRI Imaging along with neuropsychological testing, and also examined biomarker levels (measured values) for amyloid beta proteins and tau proteins of 226 subjects. Results found those following a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern with relatively more intake of vegetables, legumes, fruit, fish and less intake of dairy and red meat showed more favorable outcomes in study testing.

April 14, 2021 - Mediterranean diet with lean beef may lower risk factors for heart disease - Penn State University
In this small randomized control study, each participant tried 3 different versions of a Mediterranean diet, which included varying amounts of lean or extra-lean beef (.50 oz, 2.5 oz, or 5.5 oz each day), along with the control diet labeled as the “average American diet, which included 2.5 oz of beef. Each diet period was four weeks with a one week break between each diet period, and blood samples were drawn at the beginning of the study as well as after each diet period. Results found that participants all had lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) following the 3 beef versions of the Mediterranean diet periods compared to the control diet. “But while the total numbers of LDL particles were reduced following all three Mediterranean diet periods, they were only significantly decreased when following those periods that included 0.5 or 2.5 ounces of beef a day compared to the [control] average American diet.”

Feb. 10, 2021 - Mediterranean diet linked to thinking skills - The University of Edinburgh
Researchers “… tested the thinking skills of more than 500 people aged 79 and without dementia. Participants completed tests of problem solving, thinking speed, memory, and word knowledge, as well as a questionnaire about their eating habits during the previous year." The study found "...that, in general, people who most closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet had the highest cognitive function scores, even when accounting for childhood IQ, smoking, physical activity and health factors."

Jan. 13, 2021 - MIND and Mediterranean diets associated with later onset of Parkinson’s disease - University of British Columbia, Canada
"In a study of 176 participants, researchers looked at adherence to these types of diets, characterized by reduced meat intake and a focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats, and the age of PD onset. They found that close adherence to these diets coincided with later onset of PD in women of up to 17.4 years, and 8.4 years in men." Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell from the Division of Neurology in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, stated “There is a lack of medications to prevent or delay Parkinson’s disease yet we are optimistic that this new evidence suggests nutrition could potentially delay onset of the disease.”

Nov. 19, 2020 - Mediterranean diet tied to 30 percent risk reduction for diabetes in Women's Health Study - Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Researchers examining the outcomes for more than 25,000 participants in the Women's Health Study, reported that women who adhered to a more Mediterranean-like diet had a 30 percent lower rate of type 2 diabetes than women who did not. "The team examined several biomarkers to look for biological explanations for these results, finding key mechanisms including insulin resistance, body mass index, lipoprotein metabolism and inflammation."

June 15, 2020 - Mediterranean, plant-based diets reduce heart disease risk up to 21%
"Adults with higher levels of adherence to the Mediterranean diet -- fish- and plant-based meals inspired by Greek and Italian cuisine -- or one of three other plant-based diets had a 14 percent to 21 percent lower risk for cardiovascular disease, depending on the diet and how closely they stuck to it, researchers said."