Mediterranean diet cuts diabetes risk 31%

Spanish researchers are pointing to a more structured version of the Mediterranean diet — not the diet alone — as the key finding behind the 31% reduction in type 2 diabetes risk. The program paired a calorie-reduced Mediterranean eating pattern with moderate exercise and professional weight-loss support in adults already at high risk of diabetes. The result came from PREDIMED-Plus, a large multicenter Spanish trial coordinated by the University of Navarra and carried out in more than 100 primary care centers in Spain. The findings were reported by the University of Navarra and cited in coverage published on May 20 by Moneycontrol and Infobae. ### What changed from a standard Mediterranean diet? The intervention in PREDIMED-Plus was more intensive than simply telling people to eat Mediterranean-style foods. Participants in the intervention group were asked to follow a Mediterranean diet with about 600 fewer kilocalories per day, add regular physical activity such as brisk walking and strength exercises, and work with health professionals for ongoing support. The comparison group followed a traditional Mediterranean diet without calorie restriction or exercise guidance. (moneycontrol.com) University of Navarra said the trial tested whether modest but sustained changes in diet and lifestyle could prevent diabetes in people with overweight, obesity or metabolic syndrome. The university described PREDIMED-Plus as a large Spanish multicenter clinical trial involving more than 200 researchers from 22 Spanish universities, hospitals and research centers. (moneycontrol.com) ### Who was in the study, and how long were they followed? The trial enrolled 4,746 adults ages 55 to 75, according to Moneycontrol, while Infobae described them as adults with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome who had no diabetes at baseline. The study was conducted over six years. Infobae said participants also had no cardiovascular disease at the start of the trial. (en.unav.edu) The University of Navarra said the project began in 2013 and later expanded across Spanish institutions between 2014 and 2016 with funding led by Spain’s Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the CIBER research network. ### What does the 31% figure actually measure? (moneycontrol.com) The 31% figure refers to a lower risk of developing new cases of type 2 diabetes in the intensive-intervention group compared with the control group. Infobae reported that the program prevented about three cases of type 2 diabetes for every 100 participants. (unav.edu) Infobae also gave the clearest event counts: 12% of participants in the traditional Mediterranean-diet group developed type 2 diabetes during follow-up, compared with 9.5% in the intensive-intervention group. That difference was reported as a 31% reduction in new diabetes cases relative to the comparison group. (infobae.com) ### Did participants see changes beyond diabetes risk? Participants in the intensive program lost more weight and more waist circumference over six years than those in the comparison group. Infobae reported average weight loss of 3.3 kilograms and a 3.6-centimeter reduction in waist circumference in the intervention group, versus 0.6 kilograms and 0.3 centimeters in the control group. Moneycontrol reported the same averages. (infobae.com) Moneycontrol said the intervention also reduced abdominal fat more than the traditional-diet approach. The article described the exercise component as brisk walking, balance work and light strength training. ### Who is behind the study, and where were the findings published? (moneycontrol.com) Infobae said the results were published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The University of Navarra identified Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, professor of preventive medicine and public health, as one of the main authors tied to the project. (moneycontrol.com) Martínez-González said, according to Infobae, that “the Mediterranean diet with calorie reduction, physical activity and weight loss is a preventive tool.” The university said the trial’s next public reference point remains the published Annals of Internal Medicine paper and the ongoing PREDIMED-Plus research program run through Spanish academic and health institutions. (infobae.com)