The lifestyle shown to slash risk of early death by 29% in new study

The Mediterranean diet has long been cited as one of the most healthy ways to eat, being rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, grains and unsaturated fats.

Life expectancy in Mediterranean countries also tends to be higher than in other parts of Europe.

Now scientists have found even more evidence to support why living a Mediterranean lifestyle could help you live longer.

A new study of more than 110,000 adults found that those who follow the lifestyle were less likely to die early or from cancer.

Key aspects of the lifestyle for the purpose of this study included making time for socialising, resting, physical activity and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with low sugar and salt intake.

It also showed that participants who got plenty of rest, exercise and made time to socialise with friends were less likely to die as a result of a heart attack or stroke.

Study participants were aged between 45 and 70 and from England, Wales and Scotland.

They provided detailed information about their diet and lifestyle habits.

Researchers allocated them scores based on this, with higher scores indicating more of an adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle.

The Mediterranean diet has long been cited as one of the most healthy ways to eat, being rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, grains and unsaturated fats.

Life expectancy in Mediterranean countries also tends to be higher than in other parts of Europe.

Now scientists have found even more evidence to support why living a Mediterranean lifestyle could help you live longer.

A new study of more than 110,000 adults found that those who follow the lifestyle were less likely to die early or from cancer.

Key aspects of the lifestyle for the purpose of this study included making time for socialising, resting, physical activity and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with low sugar and salt intake.

Participants of the study, which was published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings journal, were then tracked for nine years.

In that time 4,247 people died including 2,401 from cancer and 731 from cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes.

It was concluded that people who followed a Mediterranean lifestyle were 29 percent less likely to die compared to their peers who did not follow this lifestyle.

And they were found to be 28 percent less likely to die from cancer.

Those who got plenty of rest and exercise, while also making time to socialise with friends, were also less likely to die from cardiovascular disease.

The study said: “Higher adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle was associated with lower all-cause and cancer mortality in British middle-aged and older adults in a dose-response manner.

“Adopting a Mediterranean lifestyle adapted to the local characteristics of non-Mediterranean populations may be possible and part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Lead author Mercedes Sotos Prieto, from La Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and Harvard Chan School, added: “This study suggests that it’s possible for non-Mediterranean populations to adopt the Mediterranean diet using locally available products and to adopt the overall Mediterranean lifestyle within their own cultural contexts.

“We’re seeing the transferability of the lifestyle and its positive effects on health.”

Foods that are part of a Mediterranean diet include:

Fruit and vegetables
Beans and legumes
Nuts
Whole grains
Healthy fats such as olive oil.

It does not include processed foods, refined sugars and saturated and trans fats.

Intake of red meat and high-fat dairy products is limited.

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