Mediterranean diet and diabetes risk in a cohort study of individuals with prediabetes

Randomised controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of several dietary patterns plus physical activity to reduce diabetes onset in people with prediabetes. However, there is no evidence on the effect from the Mediterranean diet on the progression from prediabetes to diabetes. A research team evaluated the effect from high adherence to Mediterranean diet on the risk of diabetes in individuals with prediabetes.
Prospective cohort study was based in a Spanish Primary Care setting. 1,184 participants with prediabetes were followed up for a mean of 4.2 years. A total of 210 participants developed diabetes type 2 during the follow up. Hazard ratios of diabetes onset were estimated associated to high versus low/medium adherence to Mediterranean diet. Different propensity score methods were used to control for potential confounders.
Incidence rate of diabetes in participants with high versus low/medium adherence to Mediterranean diet was 2.9 versus 4.8 per 100 persons-years. For high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the hazard ratio in the adjusted model using propensity score matching was 0.56 (95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.84).
These analyses suggest that high adherence to Mediterranean diet reduces diabetes risk in people with prediabetes.
Source: Cea-Soriano L, Pulido J, Franch-Nadal J, Santos JM, Mata-Cases M, Díez-Espino J, Ruiz-García A, Regidor E; PREDAPS Study Group. Mediterranean diet and diabetes risk in a cohort study of individuals with prediabetes: propensity score analyses. Diabet Med. 2022 Jun;39(6):e14768. doi.org/10.1111/dme.14768.