According to a study, the Mediterranean diet plan is a lifestyle that has been shown to be beneficial for long-term health and women benefit more from it
A recent study found that women who strictly follow the Mediterranean diet tend to live significantly longer than those who don’t. This eating plan isn’t just a passing fad, but a lifestyle that has been shown to be beneficial to long-term health.
The study analyzed more than 25,000 women over the age of 25. It was found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet had a 1/4 lower risk of death. The observed benefits range from a reduction in cancer mortality to cardiovascular disease, the main causes of death.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is distinguished by its focus on fresh and natural ingredients. In this way, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds form the basis of meals. In addition, they also use little dried fruit and pay particular attention to extra virgin olive oil. Fats are rarely consumed, as are refined foods and sugars.
What was the study methodology?
The study, published in Open JAMA Network, collected dietary and biomarker data from 25,315 healthy women between 1993 and 1996, with reassessments between 2018 and 2023. The results showed that strict adherence to the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of premature death by 23%, reduced the risk of death from cancer by 17%, and heart disease by 20%.
“In this study, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was a predictor of diet quality. Those who adhered more closely ate more greens, more vegetables, more fruits, less meat, and less processed meat,” explains to CNN Dr. David Katz, preventive and lifestyle medicine specialist who founded the True Health Initiative, a nonprofit global coalition of experts dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine.
Why do women benefit from it?
Women have different biological characteristics and nutritional needs than men, which makes it essential to adopt an adequate diet. The study has shown that the female brain, the heart, in addition to cardiac symptoms and the metabolism of substances, function differently. In addition, menarche and menopause, which are part of the female life cycle, involve a series of health risks. An adequate diet such as the Mediterranean one can rebalance these situations.
“For women concerned about longevity, our study shows that following a Mediterranean dietary pattern can lead to about a quarter reduction in the risk of death over 25 years, with benefits for both cancer and cardiovascular mortality, the leading causes of death,” The study’s senior author tells CNN: Dr. Samia Moracardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
A study conducted by the American Heart Association found that women who followed a Mediterranean diet lived significantly longer than those who did not. #TakeControlOfYourHealth https://t.co/4EEArS0Kcg
—BeHealth (@BeHealthPR) July 2, 2024
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
