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Mediterranean Diet May Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes
08/18/08
Type II Diabetes
Men and women who eat foods that follow the guidelines of a Mediterranean diet are less at risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, according to a recent study.
The study, published on the BMJ (British Medical Journal) Web site, showed a significant decrease in the incidence of diabetes among initially healthy people who ate foods like fruits, vegetables, and olive oil while limiting consumption of dairy products, meat, and eggs.
Researchers followed 13,380 Spanish university graduates for a median of 4.4 years who did not have diabetes when the study began. They used a validated 136 item food frequency questionnaire to score each participant’s dietary habits. New cases of diabetes were confirmed through medical reports and an additional detailed questionnaire posted to those who self reported a new diagnosis of diabetes by a doctor during follow-up.
Participants who adhered closely to a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of diabetes. The incidence rate ratios adjusted for sex and age were 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.19 to 0.87) for those with moderate adherence (score 3-6) and 0.17 (0.04 to 0.75) for those with the highest adherence (score 7-9) compared with those with low adherence (score <3). In the fully adjusted analyses the results were similar. A two point increase in the score was associated with a 35% relative reduction in the risk of diabetes (incidence rate ratio 0.65, 0.44 to 0.95), with a significant inverse linear trend (P=0.04) in the multivariate analysis.
Prospective cohort study with estimates of relative risk adjusted for sex, age, years of university education, total energy intake, body mass index, physical activity, sedentary habits, smoking, family history of diabetes, and personal history of hypertension.
One benefit of the Mediterranean diet is that it is not strictly controlled. There is no one Mediterranean diet. Instead, there are general guidelines to help in food selection. These guidelines come from the 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. While each country has its own variations, there are some general principles to follow:
- High consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Olive oil, a source of monounsaturated fat. Low to moderate consumption of dairy products, fish and poultry.
- Little red meat.
- Eggs are eaten zero to four times a week.
- Low to moderate wine consumption.
Incorporating some of the above listed foods and eliminating reducing consumption of others may take some adjusting at first. The Mayo Clinic offers some suggestions and tips for jump-starting a Mediterranean diet and transitioning from an American diet:
- If you like peanut butter and want to keep it a part of your diet, try natural peanut better that is not made with hydrogenated fat.
- Limit the amount of butter you eat. Even “low fat” or “cholesterol free” types of butter can have trans fats.
- Try different types of fruits and vegetables. Aim for seven to 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Fresh cut fruit and vegetables can be great snacks.
- For cooking, use canola or olive oil. Olive oil can also be used a substitute for salad dressing or butter or margarine and can be used in pasta as well.
- Eat fish or poultry instead of red meat. Specifically, eat fish once or twice a week.
- Avoid high-fat dairy products like whole milk, cheese, or ice cream. Substitute skim milk, fat-free yogurt, and low-fat cheese.
- Snack on walnuts, almonds, pecans, and other nuts.
- Drink a glass of red wine with dinner—but be sure to OK it with your doctor. If you don’t already drink, don’t feel like you have to start.
People contemplating adopting a Mediterranean diet should be aware that a relatively high percentage of calories come fat. Although research has also shown that people who follow a Mediterranean diet eat less saturated fat than the average American diet. Instead of saturated fats, the Mediterranean diet includes healthy fats that come from olive oil, nuts, or fish. Still, some researchers believe the increased percentage of calories from fat may contribute to obesity. Heart patients and weight-conscious people especially should consider this detail when considering a Mediterranean diet.
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