The Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of diabetes by 83%

Mediterranean diet reduces 83% the risk of developing type 2

People who base their food on the traditional Mediterranean diet - critical in olive oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables and fish, moderate in alcohol and low in meat, and dairy products - have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.He concluded an investigation by scientists from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Navarra and published by the British Medical Journal magazine.Specifically, the relative risk reduction was 83% for those who followed this food pattern.

The findings of the study of Cohort Sun (University of Navarra follow -up) are based on the biennial assessment of eating habits, lifestyle and health of 13,000 Spanish graduate volunteers during an average of more than four years.

“Surprisingly, who best followed the classic Mediterranean food pattern possessed a priori more risk factors for diabetes, as an advanced age or family history of diabetes, and among them there were more former smokers.Although for these reasons they had more predisposition to suffer from it, they developed it less frequently, which suggests that this pattern provides substantial protection, ”says Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Study Director.

High consumption of vegetable fiber and virgin olive oil
As he explains, the main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet are a high consumption in fiber and vegetable fats, under ‘trans’ fatty acids and a moderate alcohol intake.One of its key elements lies in the abundant use of virgin olive oil for cooking, frying, spreading salads.

The professor at the University of Navarra points out that one in twenty people in the world currentPhysical activity and weight loss decrease the probability of developing type 2 diabetes. Also, previous studies have demonstrated the preventive role of this food pattern against cardiovascular diseases.However, so far little was known about the impact of the traditional Mediterranean diet to prevent diabetes.

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