A major Spanish clinical trial has shown that a modified Mediterranean diet, combined with calorie restriction, physical activity and professional support, reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 31 percent over six years. The findings come from the PREDIMED-Plus study involving nearly 5,000 adults with overweight or obesity.
Researchers followed 4,746 participants aged 55 to 75 who had metabolic syndrome but no diabetes at the outset. One group adopted a calorie-reduced Mediterranean diet, added moderate exercise such as brisk walking, and received coaching on weight loss. The comparison group followed a standard Mediterranean diet without these additions.