For many years, doctors and scientists have praised the Mediterranean diet for helping people stay healthier as they grow older.
People living in countries near the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Italy, and parts of Spain, have traditionally eaten large amounts of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, nuts, fish, beans, and whole grains.
Researchers have linked this style of eating to lower rates of heart disease and longer life expectancy.
Now, a large new study suggests that this way of eating may also become one of the most powerful tools for preventing type 2 diabetes when combined with a few realistic lifestyle changes.
The research was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine and came from the large Spanish PREDIMED-Plus clinical trial.
Scientists from the University of Navarra worked together with more than 200 researchers from hospitals, universities, and research centers across Spain. The project became the largest nutrition study ever carried out in Europe.
The researchers wanted to answer an important question. Many earlier studies had already shown that the Mediterranean diet is healthy, but they wanted to know whether it could work even better if people also reduced calories slightly, became more physically active, and received regular support from health professionals.
To test this idea, the team followed 4,746 adults between 55 and 75 years old for six years. None of the participants had diabetes at the beginning of the study, but all of them were considered at high risk. They either had overweight or obesity, along with metabolic syndrome, which is a group of health problems linked to heart disease and diabetes.
The participants were divided into two groups. One group followed a traditional Mediterranean diet without special calorie limits or exercise instructions. The second group followed a more structured plan.
They ate a calorie-reduced Mediterranean diet, exercised regularly through activities like brisk walking and simple strength exercises, and received guidance from trained professionals to help them lose weight and stay motivated.
The results surprised even some experts. People in the intensive lifestyle group were 31 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who only followed the standard Mediterranean diet. That difference is very important because type 2 diabetes is becoming one of the world’s biggest health problems.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body struggles to control blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and organs.
The disease raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage. According to global health estimates, more than 530 million people around the world currently live with diabetes, and the numbers continue to rise every year.
Modern lifestyles are one major reason behind this increase. Many people spend long hours sitting, exercise less than previous generations, and rely heavily on processed foods high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt. As obesity rates rise worldwide, more people develop insulin resistance, which often leads to type 2 diabetes.
The findings from PREDIMED-Plus suggest that prevention does not require extreme dieting or harsh restrictions. Instead, the study supports a practical lifestyle that many people could realistically follow for years.
Participants did not have to starve themselves or do intense workouts. The plan focused on moderate daily habits that slowly improved health over time.
Overall, this study is important because it moves beyond simple diet advice and shows how several healthy habits can work together. The research was large, lasted many years, and involved thousands of people, which makes the findings stronger and more reliable.
One limitation is that the study focused mainly on older adults in Spain, so results may differ slightly in younger people or other cultures. Still, the results strongly support the idea that small but steady lifestyle changes can greatly reduce diabetes risk.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diabetes and vitamin B12, and the right diet for people with type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat smart with diabetes, and turmeric and vitamin D: a duo for blood pressure control in diabetic patients.
