A new study has revealed that adoption of a Mediterranean lowers risk of diabetes, especially among people at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
The study found that adherence to this diet was associated with a 21 percent reduced risk of diabetes as compared to the control dietary groups and the reduced risk was even more pronounced among people at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
According to the researchers, patients in this subgroup were almost 27 percent less likely to develop diabetes compared to controls.
Demosthenes Panagiotakos, professor at Athens' Harokopio University, said that adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of age, sex, race or culture and it has a beneficial effect, even in high risk groups, and speaks to the fact that it is never too late to start eating a healthy diet.
Acoording to the study, regardless of the study population, European or non-European or high or low risk of cardiovascular disease, the association between the Mediterranean diet and lower risk of diabetes remained.