Poor diet can be a risk factor for certain types of liver diseases, so researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies to see how whole grain intake might relate to liver disease risk. Those eating the most whole grains had a 10% lower risk of developing any chronic liver disease than those eating the least. The results were especially pronounced for a certain subgroup of serious liver diseases. Eating whole grains was linked with a 35% lower risk of developing cirrhosis (a potentially fatal form of liver damage) and a 63% lower risk of chronic liver disease mortality.
Food Funct. 2024 Sep 30;15(19):9707-9717. doi: 10.1039/d4fo03077j. (Zhang Y et al.)

Because respiratory diseases like COVID-19 can be characterized by inflammation, researchers wonder if a naturally anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet might be related to COVID-19 risk. In a systematic review of 6 studies covering 55,489 people total, researchers found that higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet is linked with a lower risk of COVID-19. However, more research is needed on the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and COVID-19 symptoms and severity.
PLoS One. 2024 Aug 21;19(8):e0301564. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301564. eCollection 2024. (Halim C et al.)

Gestational diabetes, the type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, can lead to health complications for both the mother and her baby. In a review of 10 studies, researchers found that consuming a Mediterranean diet before or in early pregnancy is linked with a 36% lower risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Nutr Diabetes. 2024 Jul 23;14(1):55. doi: 10.1038/s41387-024-00313-2. (Nasab SJ et al.)

Early-onset (diagnosed before age 50) colorectal cancer risk is thought to be influenced by diet and lifestyle factors, so researchers wanted to find out which foods might be involved with colorectal cancer risk. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, scientists found that a diet low in whole grains is one of the leading dietary risk factors for early onset colorectal cancer, ahead of diets high in red and processed meat and even diets low in fiber.
Frontiers in Nutrition. 2024 May 31:11:1384352. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1384352. eCollection 2024. (Su J et al.)

Healthy carbohydrates like whole grains are part of the solution, not the problem, when it comes to diabetes. In this study, researchers analyzed 29 randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of nutrition research) to see how whole grains and ancient grains might impact health outcomes in people with diabetes. They found that brown rice significantly improved HbA1c (a measure of blood sugar control over time) and BMI (a measure of weight based on height), that oats significantly improved cholesterol, and that millet significantly improved body weight. However, given the different grains and research methods used, it was difficult for the researchers to draw broad conclusions across the whole group of grains, indicating that more research is needed to understand these effects. 
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024 May;34(5):1110-1128. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2024.03.005. Epub 2024 Mar 7. (Magi CE et al.)

Replacing traditional foods with highly processed, Western-style foods has been linked with decreased diet quality around the world in a phenomenon known as the nutrition transition. In this study, researchers analyzed the eating habits and microbiome of healthy urban and rural Xhosa people in South Africa. The urban population ate more calories, fat, and animal protein and had gut microbiomes characterized by qualities linked with higher colorectal cancer risk (such as higher levels of deoxycholic acid). The authors conclude that “rural-urban dietary transition in South Africa is linked to major changes in the gut microbiome and metabolome,” and that more research is needed to “identify whether restoration of specific components of the traditional diet will arrest the accelerating rise in [non-communicable diseases] in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Nat Commun. 2024 Apr 20;15(1):3379. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46265-0.

The Mediterranean diet is widely studied and promoted, yet research on traditional cuisines from other corners of the globe have not been investigated to the same extent. In this perspective article, researchers highlight the key elements of traditional Latin American, Asian, and African heritage diets and their link with nutrition and health outcomes. Because one diet does not fit all, this research also highlights how Oldways’ heritage diet pyramids illustrate the substantial variation of foods and flavors that exist within these broader eating patterns.
Adv Nutr. 2024 Apr 9:100221. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100221. (LeBlanc KE et al.)

Herbs and spices give regional identity to traditional meals, adding both flavor and nutrition. In this review, scientists analyzed 77 intervention studies focused on different herbs and spices and their impact on individuals with type 2 diabetes. Black cumin, cinnamon, and ginger had the greatest impact on markers of diabetes management, including decreased fasting blood sugar, improvements in glycated hemoglobin (ginger and black cumin), and decreased insulin (cinnamon and ginger).
Nutrients. 2024 Mar 7. doi: 10.3390/nu16060756 (Garza MC et al.)

Whole grains have long been linked with longevity and are a central part of the diet of many of the world’s longest-lived people. New research, however, suggests that whole grains don’t just add years to life – they may also add life to years, by being linked with a longer healthspan, or the length of time that a person is healthy, not just alive. In this study of more than 48,000 Danish adults, men who ate the most whole grains in midlife lived roughly one year longer without disease compared with men who ate the least whole grains. The authors concluded that “intake of whole grains in mid-life was associated with healthy aging looking 20 years ahead.”
Eur J Nutr. 2024 Mar 7. doi: 10.1007/s00394-024-03357-3. Online ahead of print. (Eriksen AK et al.)

Prospective studies, which follow groups of people over long periods of time, help researchers to identify patterns for chronic diseases like heart disease that often appear later in life. In this prospective study, nearly 2,000 adults were followed for 20 years to see if their diet had any relationship with developing heart disease down the road. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 44% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease during the 20-year study, even after adjusting for family history, smoking, physical activity, and other risk factors. The authors also suggested that inflammation and kidney function may play a role in this relationship.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024 Jan;34(1):153-166. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.09.019. (Georgoulis M et al.)

Good nutrition can help support brain health and healthy aging, and it’s increasingly clear that whole grains are an important part of the equation. In a study of 3,326 older adults (average age 75), those eating three or more servings of whole grains per day had a slower rate of decline in global cognition, perceptual speed, and episodic memory compared to those who ate fewer than one serving per day. These results were statistically significant for the group as a whole and for African American participants (who made up 60% of the study population), but did not quite reach statistical significance for white participants (who made up a smaller proportion of the study population).
Neurology. 2023 Nov 22:10.1212/WNL.0000000000207938. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207938. (Liu X et al.)

Carbohydrate foods from different sources have different impacts on the body, meaning that it is important to choose quality carbohydrates like whole grains. In this study, researchers analyzed the eating patterns and weight changes of 136,432 adults for more than 2 decades. Eating more whole grains, fruit, and non starchy vegetables was linked with a lower risk of weight gain, while eating more refined grains and starchy vegetables (peas, corn, potatoes) was linked with a higher risk of weight gain.
BMJ. 2023 Sep 27:382:e073939. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-073939. (Wan Y et al.)