Mediterranean Diet Can Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes

Follow Drugslib on

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 26, 2025.

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2025 — A Mediterranean-style diet can significantly decrease risk of type 2 diabetes in people who are overweight or obese, a new study says.

People had 31% lower odds of diabetes if they adhered to a Mediterranean diet, cut their calories and exercised regularly, researchers reported Aug. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

“With the highest-level evidence, our study shows that modest, sustained changes in diet and lifestyle could prevent millions of cases of this disease worldwide,” co-researcher Dr. Frank Hu said in a news release. He’s chair of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

In a Mediterranean-style diet, people eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil. They moderate their amount of dairy and lean proteins like fish and chicken, and eat little to no red meat.

For this study, researchers analyzed data on more than 4,700 people 55 to 75 participating in a large-scale nutrition and lifestyle study in Europe. The participants all were overweight or obese, but had not developed type 2 diabetes.

Half were asked to follow a Mediterranean diet, cut calories by about 600 per day and engage in moderate physical activity like walking, strength training and balance exercises. The other half received some advice regarding the Mediterranean diet, but weren’t asked to cut calories.

Results showed a lower diabetes risk for those on the Mediterranean diet, with a greater effect found in men than women.

People in the Mediterranean diet group also lost around seven pounds on average and reduced their waistline by nearly one and a half inches, after about six years of follow-up.

“In practical terms, adding calorie control and physical activity to the Mediterranean diet prevented around 3 out of every 100 people from developing diabetes — a clear, measurable benefit for public health,” researcher Miguel Martínez-González, an adjunct professor of nutrition at Harvard, said in a news release.

Sources

  • Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, news release, Aug. 25, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-08-27 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords