Mediterranean diet lowers risk of new-onset diabetes: a nationwide cohort study in China

The Mediterranean diet (MD) has shown promising results in preventing type 2 diabetes, particularly in Mediterranean and European populations. However, the applicability of these benefits to non-Mediterranean populations is unclear, with contradictory findings in the literature.
A study included 12,575 participants without diabetes at baseline from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Dietary intake was measured by three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. The Mediterranean diet adherence (MDA) was measured by a score scale that included nine components of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, cereals, fish, red meat, dairy products, and alcohol. New-onset diabetes was defined as self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes during the follow-up.
During a median follow-up of 9.0 years, 445 (3.5%) subjects developed diabetes. Overall, there was an inverse association between the MDA score and new-onset diabetes (per score increment, HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.76-0.90). Moreover, age, sex, BMI, and energy intake significantly modified the association between the MDA score and the risk of new-onset diabetes. Greater fruit, fish, and nut intake was significantly associated with a lower risk of new-onset diabetes.
There was an inverse association between Mediterranean diet adherence and new-onset diabetes in the Chinese population.
Source: Ying, Z., Fu, M., Fang, Z., Ye, X., Wang, P., Lu, J. (2024) Mediterranean diet lowers risk of new-onset diabetes: a nationwide cohort study in China. Nutr J, 23(1):131.