In this study accepted on the 5th of April 2008, 18,700 participants without diabetes at baseline were followed for a median of 4.4 years.The results of the study were published in the British Medical Journal. It was shown that a high adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes by 83% The major protective factors of the Mediterranean diet include a high fibre and vegetable fat intake but a very low intake of trans fatty acids with a moderate intake of alcohol. A key ingredient in the diet is the use of virgin oil. It is used for cooking, frying, spreading on breads and dressing salads. The participants who were found to adhere most strictly to the diet was the group that was considered most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This was participants with a family history, older age and also contained a higher proportion of ex smokers. It was expected that this group would have a higher incidence of diabetes. It was found that this was not the case. It was in fact found that this group had a lower risk of diabetes suggesting that the diet could be responsible for providing substantial protection against developing type 2 diabetes.

Read the British Medical Journal research paper abstract here

Read the Science Daily report on this study here

See information on the Mediterranean diet here