Fuente: Comité Oleícola Internacional Lugar: OHIS This week on the Olive Health Information System website
The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health
Article 1
This week’s newsletter explores two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses assessing the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in the management of metabolic and neurological conditions. The Mediterranean diet is a predominantly plant-based eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, with olive oil as the principal source of dietary fat. It is widely recognized for its cardiometabolic and overall health benefits.
The first analysis focused on metabolic outcomes and found that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with small to moderate reductions in body mass index and waist circumference in specific populations, particularly individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and those with metabolically healthy obesity. Mortality outcomes were evaluated in three cohort studies including 369,220 participants with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, with follow-up periods ranging from 4 to 12.3 years. Each one-point increase in Mediterranean diet adherence score was associated with a 7% reduction in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90–0.97).
The second meta-analysis included both observational and interventional studies examining adherence to the Mediterranean diet in relation to neurological diseases. A total of 45 studies involving more than 730,000 participants were analyzed. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk or prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (odds ratio 0.92; 95% CI 0.87–0.98), mild cognitive impairment (relative risk 0.93; 95% CI 0.88–0.98), depression (relative risk 0.96; 95% CI 0.94–0.97), and Parkinson’s disease (relative risk 0.90; 95% CI 0.83–0.97).
Overall, this growing body of evidence supports the promotion of Mediterranean-style dietary patterns as a viable public health strategy for the secondary prevention and management of metabolic diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. In particular, the consistent inverse association with all-cause mortality in people with diabetes, together with the reduced risk of cognitive decline, reinforces the value of integrating Mediterranean diet protocols into standard care guidelines.
Article 2
Extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet continue to attract attention in health research, not only for their cultural and culinary value but also for their well-documented health benefits. A recent experimental study highlighted the importance of olive oil polyphenol content, showing that phenolic-rich oils more effectively reduce oxidative stress, modulate inflammation, and promote cholesterol efflux—key mechanisms for cardiovascular protection. The findings reinforce that the quality of extra virgin olive oil is just as important as the quantity consumed.
Beyond cardiovascular health, the potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet—and its key components, including extra virgin olive oil—extend to brain ageing. In this context, an analysis of the MIND diet, designed to reduce cognitive decline, found that higher adherence was associated with better cognitive performance overall. Interestingly, associations differed by race, with positive findings among White participants and inverse associations among Black participants, highlighting the need to interpret these results in light of underlying social, cultural, and socioeconomic influences.
Finally, shifting the focus to immune-related outcomes, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether the Mediterranean diet may help prevent autoimmune diseases. While no significant associations were found for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or inflammatory bowel disease, promising signals emerged for multiple sclerosis and Sjögren’s syndrome. However, the evidence remains limited, underscoring the need for further well-designed studies to clarify these associations.
Overall, current evidence continues to position the Mediterranean diet as a solid public health approach to chronic disease prevention and the promotion of overall well-being.
 
Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:
Olives and Olive oil
Effects of olive leaf extract supplementation on systemic markers of tissue aging and remodeling in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial with exploratory skin outcomes.
Comparative analyses of active and flavor components and anti-inflammatory capacities of olive oil varieties.
The Olive Polyphenol Hydroxytyrosol Enhances Autophagy and Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in Aortic Endothelial Cells and Reduces Arterial Stiffness ex vivo.
Olive Pomace Inclusion Alters the Microbial Community of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Frass While Maintaining Fertilizer Quality.
Biological Activities Underlying the Cardiovascular Benefits of Olive Oil Polyphenols: Focus on Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Atherogenic Effects.
Mediterranean diet
From knowledge to action: How nutrition knowledge shapes sustainable eating and Mediterranean diet adherence.
Efficacy of Mediterranean diet in musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis for primary and tertiary prevention featured in the Italian National Guidelines “La Dieta Mediterranea”.
Adherence to the MIND diet and onset of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A case-control study.
Mediterranean diet, metabolic signature, genetic predisposition, and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a large-scale population-based prospective cohort study.
Mediterranean diet and oral health: is there an association? A scoping review.
Socio-economic status, food security and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in five Mediterranean countries: the DELICIOUS project.
Adherence to the combined Mediterranean-dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet is shaped by neighborhood socio-economics and food environments.
A combined MeDi-DASH-CHH dietary intervention improves lipid profiles and enhances dietary adherence in northern Chinese older adults with dyslipidemia: A randomized controlled trial.
Socio-economic status, food security and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in five Mediterranean countries: the DELICIOUS project.
Neurodegenerative disease and mental health
Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet and cardiovascular disease and arrhythmias.
Mediterranean diet, gut microbiota, and cognitive decline in older adults with obesity/overweight and metabolic syndrome: a prospective cohort study.
Efficacy of Mediterranean diet for the prevention of neurological diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis featured in the Italian National Guidelines “La Dieta Mediterranea”.
Exploring the Facilitators and Barriers of Adherence to Mediterranean-Ketogenic Dietary Interventions in Parkinson’s Disease: A Qualitative Study.
Ketogenic diet is less effective in ameliorating depression and anxiety in obesity than Mediterranean diet: A pilot study for exploring the GUT-brain axis.
Adherence to Mediterranean, DASH, Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diets, and serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in relation to psychological profile in adults.
Prospective associations between Mediterranean diet and mental health and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis: Analysis of UK MS Register data.
Metabolic Disorders
Mediterranean diet for the management of pre-existing metabolic diseases: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis featured in the Italian national guidelines “La Dieta Mediterranea”.
Plant-based dietary index on the Mediterranean and a vegan diet: a secondary analysis of a randomized, cross-over trial.
Dietary Patterns
Diet and nutrition key factors for oral microbiota composition: a systematic review.
Efficacy of Mediterranean Diet for the primary prevention of autoimmune diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis featured in the Italian National Guidelines “La Dieta Mediterranea”.
Racial differences in the association between Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) Diet scores and cognitive performance.
Phenolic compounds
Phenolic Fingerprints of Spanish Olive Mill Wastewaters (Alpechin): A Step Toward Regional Valorization Through Antioxidant Recovery.
Assessment of the Functional Quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Green Extraction of Phenolic Compounds Using Ethyl Lactate.
Women Health
Dietary Inflammatory Index and Mediterranean Diet Score are associated with systemic inflammation in women with lipedema.
Impact of Mediterranean Dietary Intervention on Reactive Oxygen Species Levels and Total Antioxidant Capacity During Pregnancy.
Effects of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Its Association with Maternal-Fetal Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.
Sustainability
Adherence to the mediterranean diet in adults: the role of environmental and sustainable food literacy.
The Mediterranean Diet as a Model of Sustainability: Evidence-Based Insights into Health, Environment, and Culture.
Physical activity
Effects of a Mediterranean diet and structured exercise intervention on selected anthropometric, cardiovascular, and metabolic variables in physically inactive adults: a randomized controlled trial.
Synergistic Effects of Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity in Mitigating CKD Risk: NHANES 2005-2018 Insights.
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