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No Need to Avoid Pasta on Weight Loss Diets

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.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Death in At-Risk Individuals

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.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with 25% Lower Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women

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 Diet Linked with 23% Lower Risk of Dementia, Regardless of Genetic Risk Factors

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.)

Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Linked with 21% Lower Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

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.

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

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.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Preeclampsia

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.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases

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.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Healthy Aging

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.)

Mediterranean Diet Can Slow Progression of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis, the build up of fatty plaque in arteries, can be a risk factor for heart disease down the road. In a randomized controlled trial of more than 900 people with heart disease, those assigned to a Mediterranean diet improved their atherosclerosis (as measured by reduced thickness of both carotid arteries) over 5 years and maintained their baseline artery thickness at 7 years. Those assigned to a low-fat diet did not have any significant improvements in atherosclerosis.
Stroke. 2021 Aug 10;STROKEAHA120033214. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033214. (Jimenez-Torres J et al.)

Following a Mediterranean Diet May Have “Halo Effect” on Other Family Members

Can healthy eating habits rub off on family members who aren’t actively trying to eat better? New research seems to suggest so. In this study, scientists analyzed the diet, weight, and exercise habits of 148 untreated family members of people participating in the PREDIMED-Plus study, a Mediterranean diet weight loss intervention. After two years, the untreated family members lost nearly 9 pounds and scored significantly better on the Mediterranean diet score, indicating a “halo effect” of their family members’ participation in the study. There were no significant changes to the exercise habits of the untreated family members.
International Journal of Obesity. 2021 Jun;45(6):1240-1248. doi: 10.1038/s41366-021-00763-z. Epub 2021 Mar 3. (Zomeño MD et al.)

Mediterranean Inspired MIND Diet Linked with Healthier Brain Markers in MS

The Mediterranean diet is well-known for its brain benefits, so scientists wonder how Mediterranean-inspired eating might relate to multiple sclerosis (MS), a brain and spinal cord autoimmune disease. Researchers analyzed the eating habits and brain structures of 180 adults who have had a diagnosis of MS for less than 5 years to see how closely they adhered to a version of the Mediterranean diet called the MIND diet. The MIND diet is a hybrid Mediterranean-DASH diet that emphasizes foods associated with brain health, including whole grains, green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, and fish. In this study, people most closely following the MIND diet had significantly greater thalamic volumes. (The wasting away of the thalamus is a marker of MS disease progression and neurodegeneration, so greater thalamic volume is a good sign that MS might be advancing slower.) Additionally, when looking at specific foods and nutrients, those eating the most full-fat dairy had fewer brain lesions (as measured by lower volumes of T2 lesions) and those eating the most omega-3’s from fish had better microstructural integrity of their normal appearing white matter.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2021 May 19;53:103031. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103031. (Katz Sand IB et al.)

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