Compliance with this diet has revealed a new important factor: it helps reduce mortality

Scientists agree that certain restricted diets are good for your health.

In the study, researchers examined 25,315 women over 25 and found that stricter dieting was associated with decreased risk of all-cause mortality by 23 percent. There was also a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

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The Mediterranean diet, based on the region's traditional cuisine, emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.

The researchers collected baseline health information from the participants between 1993 and 1996, which included data on 33 blood biomarkers, weight data, lifestyle data and more. The participants, who were all female health care professionals and had a mean age of 54.6 years, then completed questionnaires every six months for the first year and annually thereafter. Data analysis was conducted from 2018 to 2023 using medical data and records to determine mortality and its cause.

“Participants with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet tended to have healthier lifestyles, including a lower BMI and higher intake of fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes and fish, while consuming less red and processed meat, “ the authors note. — A higher score on the Mediterranean diet was associated with an overall healthier biomarker profile.

This is not the first time research has pointed to the diet as a healthy way of eating. A 2023 analysis found that the diet could help reduce the risk of heart disease in women by 24 percent.

However, the recent data result had some limitations, including a lack of racial and ethnic diversity. The authors note that this may limit the generalizability of the findings. Dietary adherence was also assessed using food questionnaires, which may contain misclassifications.