Mediterranean Diet Extends Women's Lifespan

Results from a new study show that the Mediterranean diet helps women live significantly longer. According to this new research conducted over 25 years involving more than 25,000 women, those who consistently followed the Mediterranean diet lived much longer than those who did not. Dr. Samia Mora, a cardiologist and professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, told CNN, 'This research indicates that for women interested in longevity, adhering to a Mediterranean dietary pattern can lead to about a quarter reduction in mortality risk over more than 25 years.' This cardiologist noted that this diet is particularly beneficial for preventing cancer and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading causes of death. The new study, published on Friday in a scientific journal (JAMA Network Open), involved 25,315 healthy women participants who were surveyed about their diets and had their blood and other biomarkers collected between 1993 and 1996. These women were reassessed between 2018 and 2023. The study found that not only does strict adherence to the Mediterranean diet reduce the risk of premature death by up to 23%, but it also lowers the risk of death from cancer by 17% and from cardiovascular diseases by 20%. What is the Mediterranean diet? The Mediterranean diet includes simple, plant-based cooking. In this dietary style, most meals focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and seeds, with some nuts and especially extra virgin olive oil. Fats other than olive oil, such as butter, are rarely consumed, and sugar or processed foods should be avoided. Red meat is typically used only for flavoring. Eating healthy, fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is recommended in this diet, while eggs, dairy, and chicken are consumed in much smaller amounts than in a traditional diet. Dr. David Katz, a preventive medicine and lifestyle expert who founded a nonprofit organization in this field, stated that in this study, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was a measure of dietary quality. He added that those who adhered more closely to this diet consumed more legumes, more vegetables, more fruits, less meat, and less processed meats. While this research was based on observational data and could not show a direct causal relationship, Dr. Katz said, 'The findings of this study align perfectly with many other studies on the healthy Mediterranean diet.' But why is this research important for women? A woman’s brain operates differently at the molecular level than a man’s brain. Additionally, a woman's heart size may differ from a man's heart, and women exhibit heart attack symptoms quite differently than men. The metabolism of alcohol and medications in women differs from that in men, and differences such as menstruation and menopause create another set of physical risks for women. The Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk of breast cancer, dementia, depression, diabetes, high cholesterol, and memory loss in women.