Mediterranean diet may increase life expectancy in women, finds major new study

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The woman who was secretly pursued Mediterranean diet A new study that followed more than 25,000 women for 25 years found that those who died lived much longer than those who did not.

“For women interested in longevity, our study Mediterranean dietary patterns It could reduce the risk of death by about a quarter over 25 years, providing benefits to both parties. cancer and Mortality from cardiovascular disease, “It is a leading cause of death,” the study's lead author, Dr. Samia Molla, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said in an email.

of Mediterranean diet Featuring simple plant-based cuisine, the majority of each meal emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and seeds, with small amounts of nuts and Extra virgin olive oilFats other than olive oil, such as butter, should be very minimal, and sugar and refined foods should be avoided.

Red meat Fish is used sparingly, usually only to flavour dishes. Eating healthy, oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is encouraged, while eggs, dairy products and poultry are eaten in much smaller quantities than in the traditional Western diet.

“In this study, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was an indicator of diet quality: those who adhered most closely ate more legumes, vegetables and fruit, and less meat and processed meat,” said Dr. David Katz, an expert in preventive and lifestyle medicine who founded the nonprofit. True Health Initiativeis a global alliance of experts committed to evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

While the study is observational and therefore cannot show direct causation, “the findings are entirely consistent with many other studies of the Mediterranean diet, which is now known to have health benefits,” said Katz, who was not involved in the study.

“It may be safe to assume that a high-quality diet actually 'caused' the reduced risk of death,” Katz said in an email.

The Mediterranean diet has received much scientific evaluation. A Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of: breast cancer, dementia, depression, Diabetes, High cholesterol and amnesiaIf you follow the diet, Strengthening bones, Healthier Heart and Longer life span. Also, Healthy Weight Loss.

But the data includes few details about how the Mediterranean diet affects women, especially in the long term. Experts say this is important because women are not little men.

Women's brains are different from men's Molecular Level than the human brain The size of a woman's heart It may be different for men and women, and women may not be at all Different symptoms of a heart attack Women's metabolism is higher than men's alcohol and Pharmaceuticals It's different from men. And the obvious difference is Menarche and menopauseThis creates a whole host of health risks that are unique to women.

The new study, published Friday in the journal JAMA Network OpenThe researchers studied 25,315 healthy women. Women's Health Research The women completed dietary questionnaires and had their blood and other biomarkers taken between 1993 and 1996. They will be re-evaluated between 2018 and 2023.

Studies have shown that adhering to a Mediterranean diet not only reduced the risk of premature death by 23%, but also reduced the risk of death from cancer by 17% and from cardiovascular disease by 20%.

“There was a gradual increase in benefit: the more aggressive the approach, the greater the benefit,” lead author Shafqat Ahmad, an associate professor of molecular epidemiology at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in an email.

Each point increase in adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a 6 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 5 percent lower risk of death from heart disease or cancer, Ahmad said.

“Notably, adherence measures 'correct' for distortions of the Mediterranean diet,” Katz said. “In the United States, someone might claim to be 'following' the Mediterranean diet by simply adding olive oil to their french fries.”

However, this study corrected for distortion. “Considering all the key features of a 'true' Mediterranean diet can help prevent such misconceptions,” Katz said.

It's not difficult to incorporate Mediterranean style diet Experts in your life More vegetables Include vegetables and legumes of all types and colors at every meal to get a wide range of nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber. Cook, roast or garnish Add the herbs and a little extra virgin olive oil.

addition Whole grains Nuts and seeds are high in calories, so they're best used as a side dish or snack. and fat content.

Greatly reduced usage Red meat. Instead, eat fish or other seafood at least twice a week. To get as much protein as possible, Beans and other legumesStart with one bean-based meal a week, then add two more and increase the non-meat meals from there.

Mix in cheese and yogurt daily to once a week in moderate amounts. Chicken, pork, and eggs are okay to use occasionally. Save sweets for special occasions, and if you have a sweet tooth, Fresh and frozen fruits.