Mediterranean-style diet may beat type 2 diabetes

Now there’s even more reason to enjoy that antipasto.

According to a Spanish study, sticking to a Mediterranean-style diet could greatly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers assessed the dietary habits and diabetes status of 13,000 Spanish university students over a four-year period. They found students who had diets high in fish, olive oil, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals and legumes, and low in meat and dairy products (ie. a Mediterranean-style diet) were 80% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes – even when some students had a higher than normal risk of developing diabetes by being slightly overweight or an ex-smoker.

Source: British Medical Journal, June 2008