Mediterranean diet lowers risk of death in women

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital identified and evaluated underlying mechanisms that may explain why the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of all-cause mortality in American women by 23 percent.

Although the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been reported in several studies, long-term data on its effects in U.S. women is limited, and little is known about why this diet reduces mortality risk. In a new study that followed more than 25,000 initially healthy U.S. women for up to 25 years, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Massachusetts Integrated Brigham Health System, found that participants who consumed more of the Mediterranean diet had up to a 23% lower risk of all-cause mortality, with benefits for both cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality. The researchers found evidence of biological changes that may help explain why. They detected changes in biomarkers such as metabolism, inflammation, and insulin resistance. The results showed that In the way.

“Women who want to live longer, our research suggests, watch your diet! The good news is that following a Mediterranean dietary pattern reduces risk of death by about a quarter over 25 years, and may have an effect on mortality from both cancer and cardiovascular disease, the leading causes of death for women (and men) in the U.S. and worldwide.”

Samia Molla, MD, senior author, cardiologist and director of the Center for Lipid Metabolism at Brigham Medical Center

The Mediterranean diet is a diverse, plant-based diet that is rich in plants (nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes). The main fat is olive oil (usually extra virgin). The diet includes moderate consumption of fish, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and alcohol, and rarely meat, sweets, and processed foods.

The current study investigated the long-term benefits of the Mediterranean diet in a U.S. population recruited as part of the Women's Health Study and explored biological mechanisms that may explain the health benefits of this diet. Study researchers evaluated a panel of approximately 40 biomarkers representing a range of biological pathways and clinical risk factors.

Metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers made the largest contributions, followed by triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, obesity, and insulin resistance. Other biological pathways related to branched-chain amino acids, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, blood glucose measurements, and hypertension made smaller contributions.

“Our study provides important public health insights: even small changes in established risk factors for metabolic disease – particularly those related to small molecule metabolites, inflammation, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, obesity and insulin resistance – confer significant long-term benefits from adhering to a Mediterranean diet. This finding highlights the potential for reducing overall mortality risk by encouraging healthier eating habits,” said lead author Shafqat Ahmad, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University in Sweden and an investigator in the Center for Lipid Metabolism and Department of Preventive Medicine at Brigham Health.

The current study identifies important biological pathways that may help explain all-cause mortality risk. However, the authors point out some important limitations, such as the study being limited to mostly non-Hispanic and white, middle-aged, highly educated, female health professionals. The study relied on food frequency questionnaires and self-reported measures such as height, weight, and blood pressure. However, the strengths of this study are its large size and long follow-up period.

The authors also note that as the Mediterranean diet concept has grown in popularity, the diet has been adopted by different countries and cultures.

“The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are recognised by medical experts and our study provides insight into why this diet is so beneficial. Public health policies should promote the healthy eating properties of the Mediterranean diet and discourage unhealthy adaptations,” said Mora.