This article was first published on May 3, 2023. It was last reviewed/ updated on May 3, 2023.
In my opinion, we should strongly recommend a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) to our patients.
US News and World Report report and rankings for Best Diets Overall 2023 (available at this LINK) ranked the Mediterranean Diet as #1. And, there are good reasons for this.
Knowing the bottom line regarding its benefits helps us in motivating our patients to adopt this diet. Experts have noted that telling patients about the potential health benefits is an important intervention for motivating them to adopt a particular diet (Turner et al., 2023). So, in this article, I’ll very briefly summarize what meta-analyses of studies have concluded about the many possible benefits of MedDiet.
Disclaimer: I have not read or reviewed the hundreds of primary studies that were reviewed by these meta-analyses and reviews. I have based my comments below on the meta-analyses and reviews that I have cited. The overall body of scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of MedDiet is massive and convincing.
Management of obesity in adults
Multiple meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials reported a greater reduction in body weight/ body mass index in those following MedDiet compared to other diets (Dominguez et al., 2023).
Management of overweight or obesity in children and adolescents
A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials concluded that children and adolescents with overweight and obesity who were assigned to follow the Mediterranean diet had greater reductions in body mass index and waist circumference compared to the control group (López-Gil et al., 2023).
Prevention of cardiovascular disease
Meta-analyses of many cohort studies concluded that following the MedDiet is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary events, stroke, and heart failure (Liyanage et al., 2016).
A meta-analysis that looked specifically at female subjects also concluded that following the MedDiet was associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease (Pant et al., 2023).
What exactly should a person be told about how to follow MedDiet? For a “Simple and Practical” guide, please see the following article on this website:
Mediterranean diet (MedDiet): A “Simple and Practical” guide
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