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.)

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, and stillbirth) can put both mothers and babies at risk. In this prospective study of 7,798 pregnant women across the US, those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 21% less likely to develop any of the adverse pregnancy outcomes described above and were also 28% less likely to develop preeclampsia and 37% less likely to develop gestational diabetes. The researchers noted a dose-response relationship for risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, meaning that the closer a mother’s diet aligned with the Mediterranean diet, the lower the risk.
JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Dec 1;5(12):e2248165. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.48165.

Frailty in aging may lead to falls, fractures, disability, and other serious health risks, so dietary strategies to prevent frailty in older adults are of great importance. In a study of 2,384 nonfrail adults from the Framingham Offspring Study (average age 60 years), those most closely following a Mediterranean diet had a 38% lower risk of developing frailty than those not adhering to a Mediterranean diet. Additionally, each 10-mg increase of total carotenoids and vitamin E (antioxidants found in many Mediterranean diet foods) reduced the risk of frailty by 16%.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Sep 2;116(3):630-639. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac130. (Millar et al.)

Healthy life expectancy is a measure of how long a person lives in “full health” without disease or injury. In an analysis of the diets and health outcomes of people in 130 countries around the world, following a Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy even after controlling for things like socio-economic status and health indicators.
J Nutr Health Aging. 2022;26(6):621-627. doi: 10.1007/s12603-022-1811-y. (A Sezaki et al.)

Randomized controlled trials, in which people are randomly assigned to a particular treatment and then monitored over time, are considered by many to be the “gold standard” of nutrition research. In this randomized controlled trial, 1,002 Spanish adults (average age 59) with heart disease were randomly assigned to a Mediterranean diet or a control diet (which differed by emphasizing lean meats and fish and low-fat dairy, and restricting fatty fish, nuts and olive oil) and followed for 7 years. Those eating a Mediterranean diet were 25-29% less likely to have a major cardiovascular event (such as a heart attack or stroke) than those eating the control diet, with the relationship being especially strong in men. These findings are consistent with previous research noting the cardioprotective benefits of a Mediterranean diet. 
Lancet. 2022 May 4;S0140-6736(22)00122-2. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00122-2. (Delgado-Lista J et al.)

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by a rapid rise in blood pressure. In this study, researchers surveyed a diverse cohort of Black, Hispanic, and white low-income mothers in Boston about their diet and searched their health records for diagnoses of preeclampsia. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was linked with a 22% lower risk of preeclampsia overall, with significant risk reduction for each of the racial groups.
Journal of the American Heart Association. 2022 May 3;11(9):e022589. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.022589. (Minhas AS et al.)

Diet and lifestyle are thought to play a role in the risk for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and researchers wonder if the gut microbiome may modulate this relationship. A review of 64 studies analyzed the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and risk of Alzheimer’s disease and/or Parkinson’s disease, as well as the relationship between the makeup of the gut microbiome and its association with both diet and neurodegenerative diseases. Greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet was linked with a lower risk of both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The study also identified specific genera and species of bacteria that had an inverse relationship with the Mediterranean diet and these diseases, suggesting that the gut microbiota may play a role in this relationship.
J Neurol Sci. 2022 Mar 15:434:120166. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120166. (Solch RJ et al.)

The Mediterranean diet is thought to be neurologically protective, so researchers wanted to learn more about the diet’s relationship with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In this study, researchers analyzed 64 articles about the Mediterranean diet, microbiome health, and Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. They found that following a Mediterranean diet is linked with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease (with the link for Alzheimer’s being particularly strong). However, it is unclear if the Mediterranean diet promotes gut microbiome health and brain health via two separate mechanisms or if one factor causes another.
Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 2022 Mar 15;434:120166. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120166. (Solch RJ et al.)

Healthy eating may reduce the risk of age-related diseases and potentially even increase longevity, so researchers wanted to learn more about the mechanisms behind this protective effect. In this review, researchers share how the Mediterranean diet impacts nine different cellular and molecular hallmarks of aging (including telomere attrition, altered intercellular communication, and deregulated nutrient sensing, among others), thus supporting healthy aging.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2021 Aug;75(8):1176-1192. doi: 10.1038/s41430-020-00841-x. (Shannon OM et al.)