Lifestyle habits during pregnancy can support healthy growth and development for babies and children. To measure prenatal interventions on neurodevelopment, more than 600 pregnant mothers were randomly assigned to a Mediterranean diet (receiving free olive oil and walnuts), a mindfulness-based stress relief program, or a control group that received their usual prenatal care. When the children they delivered were 24 months old, they were then assessed for neurodevelopment outcomes. Compared with the control group, children in the Mediterranean diet group scored higher in the cognitive and social-emotional domain, and children in the mindfulness group also scored higher in the social-emotional domain.
JAMA Network Open. 2023 Aug 1;6(8):e2330255. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30255. (Crovetto F et al.)

Nutritious school meals can support children’s health in the short term, and new research suggests that these benefits can extend into adulthood as well. In this study, researchers used comparative risk assessment frameworks to estimate the short-term and long-term health impacts of fully aligning the U.S. National School Lunch program with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If all school meals were to fully comply with the Dietary Guidelines, researchers estimate improved BMI and blood pressure in the short term, as well as 10,600 fewer deaths from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in adulthood. These health improvements would save an estimated 355,000 disability-adjusted life-years and an estimated $19.3 billion in medical costs each year. While many aspects of the current and proposed school nutrition standards are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines, stronger school meal standards for whole grains, added sugars, and sodium are needed to be able to fully realize these health benefits.  
Am J Clin Nutr. 2023 Jul 18;S0002-9165(23)65959-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.031. (Wang L et al.)

To see if diet might relate to breast cancer survival, researchers analyzed the pre-diagnosis eating habits of 13,270 women with breast cancer and followed them for more than 8 years after diagnosis. Low compared with medium adherence to a Mediterranean diet before breast cancer diagnosis was linked with a 13% higher risk of all-cause mortality, while each 3-unit increase in the 16-point Mediterranean diet score was linked with an 8% reduced risk of mortality. The results were especially strong in cases of metastatic breast cancer.
BMC Medicine. 2023 Jun 26;21(1):225. doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-02934-3. (Castro-Espin C et al.)

A Mediterranean diet includes many of the foods and food groups that are recommended for fertility, so researchers set out to measure if the Mediterranean diet itself had any relationship on fertility markers. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies, researchers found that following a Mediterranean diet is linked with live births, pregnancy rate, sperm concentration, and sperm count, but that these outcomes are inconsistent across the studies. The researchers conclude that a Mediterranean diet “indicates sperm improvement and a possibility of better pregnancy outcomes,” but that data are insufficient to make clinical recommendations.
Nutr Rev. 2023 Jun 9;81(7):775-789. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuac087. (Muffone ARMC et al.)

Pasta is low-glycemic index food, meaning that it has a gentler impact on blood sugar than many other carbohydrate foods. However, many people are confused about how pasta fits into a healthy diet. In this review, researchers analyzed 38 studies to better understand how pasta intake relates to body weight. Some studies found no relationship between eating pasta and body weight, while other studies found that eating pasta was related to a lower risk of overweight and obesity. Overall, the evidence suggests that pasta does not cause weight gain, especially when pasta is eaten in the context of an overall healthy diet.
Nutrients. 2023 Jun 9;15(12):2689. doi: 10.3390/nu15122689. (Sanders LM et al.)

Whole grain’s protective effect against heart disease and diabetes is well-documented, and because these chronic conditions also relate to risk of brain health and mental health, researchers wanted to examine this relationship directly. In this study, scientists analyzed 23 studies on whole grain intake and risk of cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders and evaluated the strength of the evidence. They found that people who eat more whole grains are more likely to have better mood, depression, and anxiety scores. The evidence on whole grains and cognition was inconclusive, meaning that more research is needed.
Adv Nutr. 2023 Apr 19;S2161-8313(23)00288-0. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.04.003. (Ross AB et al.)

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases around the world, impacting millions of people. In this study, researchers developed risk-assessment models to estimate how much various dietary habits contribute to type 2 diabetes risk in 184 countries around the world. The largest burden (26.1%) of type 2 diabetes was attributed to low whole grain intake. Other factors contributing to high type 2 diabetes burden included high intake of refined rice and wheat (24.6%) and high intake of processed meat (20.3%).
Nat Med. 2023 Apr;29(4):982-995. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02278-8. Epub 2023 Apr 17. (O’Hearn M et al.)

At Mediterranean diet is well-known for its link with heart health, but researchers wanted to see how this tried-and-true eating pattern stacks up against other popular diet plans, like low carb or low sodium. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers analyzed 40 studies in which a total of more than 35,000 people at risk of heart disease were randomly assigned to 7 different popular diets or a minimal intervention control group, to see which popular diets are most effective of preventing heart disease and mortality. They found that Mediterranean diets reduce the risk of all-cause mortality by 28%, heart disease mortality by 45%, stroke by 35%, and nonfatal heart attacks by 52%. Mediterranean diets were more effective than any other diet studied, many of which were no better than the control group.
BMJ. 2023 Mar 29;380:e072003. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072003. (Karam G et al.)

Healthy eating is assumed to be more expensive, but if you actually price it out, a well-planned Mediterranean diet can be more affordable than the typical Western diet eaten today. Researchers in Australia priced out grocery baskets for 7 days worth of meals following a Mediterranean diet, a typical Western diet, and a diet based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (Australia’s dietary guidelines). The groceries were also analyzed for their ability to meet recommended nutrient intakes. Both the Australian Healthy Eating basket and the Mediterranean diet basket met nearly all nutrient needs, while the typical Western diet basket did not. The Mediterranean diet basket was found to be cheaper than the Australian Healthy Eating Basket for nearly all family sizes (except $3 more per week for single-person households) and cheaper than the typical Western diet at all family sizes studied. 
Nutrients. 2023 Mar 30;15(7):1692. doi: 10.3390/nu15071692.(Bracci EL et al.)

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women, meaning that lifestyle changes to support heart health are of the utmost importance. In a meta-analysis of 16 prospective cohort studies (in which more than 700,000 women were followed over time), women most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 24% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, were 23% less likely to die, and were 25% less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those not following a Mediterranean diet.
Heart. 2023 Mar 14;heartjnl-2022-321930. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321930. (Pant A et al.)

Mediterranean diets have been linked with brain health and lower dementia risk in small studies, but researchers wanted to see how this relationship holds up in larger studies and in people who are genetically predisposed to dementia. In a study of 60,298 older adults in the UK, those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 23% less likely to develop dementia over the 9 year study period, independent of a person’s genetic risk for dementia.
BMC Med. 2023 Mar 14;21(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-02772-3. (Shannon OM et al.)

Brain-healthy diets include a variety of healthy ingredients, and researchers wonder if whole grains specifically might be related to dementia risk. In a study of 2,958 adults in the U.S., those eating the most whole grains were 28% less likely to develop all-cause dementia and were 36% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s dementia over the 12-year study period. The researchers note that more research is needed to better understand this relationship.
J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2023;10(1):133-136. doi: 10.14283/jpad.2022.91. (J Wang et al.)