Combining a reduced-calorie Mediterranean diet with regular physical activity could hold the key to cutting the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, slashing the risk of the disease by up to 31 per cent.
This lifestyle intervention approach could potentially prevent approximately three diabetes diagnoses for every hundred individuals following the programme, according to findings published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The discovery was made during the PREDIMED-Plus trial, which represents Europe’s most extensive nutritional research project to date, monitoring 4,746 participants across a six-year period.
It also involved more than 200 researchers from 22 academic and medical institutions throughout Spain.
The lifestyle programme offers substantial weight reduction
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The research team recruited adults aged 55 to 75 who were carrying excess weight or living with obesity and metabolic syndrome, though none had previously experienced cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
Participants were divided into two distinct groups for comparison.
The intervention group adopted a Mediterranean eating pattern with approximately 600 fewer daily kilocalories, undertook regular moderate exercise, including brisk walking and strength training, and received professional weight management support.
The control group maintained a standard Mediterranean diet without caloric restrictions or structured exercise guidance.
Those who followed the intensive lifestyle programme achieved substantially greater weight reduction, shedding an average of 3.3 kilograms compared to just 0.6 kilograms in the control cohort.
Waist circumference measurements showed similarly impressive differences, with the intervention group trimming 3.6 centimetres versus a minimal 0.3 centimetres among controls.
“Diabetes is the first solid clinical outcome for which we have shown – using the strongest available evidence – that the Mediterranean diet with calorie reduction, physical activity and weight loss is a highly effective preventive tool,” said Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarra and Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Harvard University.
The global burden of type 2 diabetes has reached alarming proportions, with more than 530 million people affected worldwide according to the International Diabetes Federation.
Spain records approximately 4.7 million adults living with the condition, placing it among Europe’s most affected nations.
The Mediterranean diet can improve insulin sensitivity
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“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.
The findings come off the back of a recent study showing that fresh mango daily promotes better blood glucose control, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced body fat compared to those consuming low-sugar snacks.
The research, conducted at George Mason University, challenges conventional wisdom about sugar intake for millions of people living with diabetes worldwide.
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