There has been lots of research in the past decade over the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, especially a Mediterranean style diet. Health benefits include lowering chronic inflammation and a lower incidence of a number of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
A recent study conducted in Spain added a twist to this. The researchers found that eating a lower calorie Mediterranean diet and increased levels of physical activity, resulted in a 31% reduction in the development of type 2 diabetes, as well as a greater weight loss and reduction of their waist size. The comparison group were persons who ate a Mediterranean diet, but without lowering their calorie intake or increasing physical activity over the 6 years of the study.
The subjects in this study were 4756 overweight or obese adults with metabolic syndrome, but without prior cardiovascular disease or diabetes - thus a group that was at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The calorie reduction goal was to eat about 600 fewer calories per day.
Excerpts from Science Daily: Scientists found a smarter Mediterranean diet that cuts diabetes risk by 31%
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet with fewer calories, adding moderate physical activity, and receiving professional guidance for weight management can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 31%. That is the key finding of PREDIMED-Plus, a large clinical trial led in Spain by the University of Navarra together with more than 200 researchers from 22 universities, hospitals, and research institutes. The project was carried out in over 100 primary care centers within Spain's National Health System.
The study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, followed 4,746 adults between the ages of 55 and 75 who were overweight or obese and had metabolic syndrome but no prior history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Over six years, researchers compared two groups. One group adopted a calorie-reduced Mediterranean diet (about 600 fewer kilocalories per day), engaged in moderate exercise such as brisk walking and strength and balance training, and received professional counseling. The other group continued a traditional Mediterranean diet without calorie limits or exercise advice.
The results revealed that the participants who followed the calorie-reduced diet and exercise plan not only reduced their diabetes risk but also lost more weight and trimmed more from their waistlines. On average, they lost 3.3 kg and 3.6 cm from their waist, compared to 0.6 kg and 0.3 cm in the control group. This translated to preventing about three new cases of type 2 diabetes for every 100 participants -- a meaningful benefit for public health.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, type 2 diabetes now affects over 530 million people around the world. Its rise is fueled by urbanization (unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, reduced physical activity), an aging population, and increasing rates of overweight and obesity. ... In the United States, roughly 38.5 million people have diabetes, and the disease carries some of the highest per-patient healthcare costs worldwide. Experts emphasize that prevention is crucial to slow this escalating crisis, which greatly increases the risk of heart, kidney, and metabolic complications.
"The Mediterranean diet acts synergistically to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. With PREDIMED-Plus, we demonstrate that combining calorie control and physical activity enhances these benefits," explained Miguel Ruiz-Canela, Professor and Chair of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department at the University of Navarra's School of Medicine and first author of the study. "It is a tasty, sustainable and culturally accepted approach that offers a practical and effective way to prevent type 2 diabetes -- a global disease that is, to a large extent, avoidable."