In March 2018 researchers from Italy published the results of their study to assess the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals at high risk. The 116 individuals involved in the study were followed up for a period of 9 months. Each individual had similar cardiometabolic risk factors. 71 individuals participated in 12 weekly group educational meetings and received a supply of meals based on the Mediterranean diet, whilst 45 received an individual education session reinforced with monthly nutritional messages and acted as a control group. Results showed that although body weight reduced significantly in both groups, those in the Mediterranean diet group lost more weight and showed a greater reduction in blood glucose, triglycerides, blood pressure and an increase in HDL(good)-cholesterol than the control group. A further analysis revealed that those with diabetes type 2 had a significant reduction in HbA1c level if they were in the Mediterranean diet group but not in the control group. At follow-up, weight loss still persisted in the Mediterranean diet group, but not in the control group. In addition both groups experienced significantly reduced blood pressure levels.
Grimaldi M et al. Intensive dietary intervention promoting the Mediterranean diet in people with high cardiometabolic risk: a non-randomized study. Acta Diabetol. 2018 Mar;55(3):219-226