A recent study has shown that those who follow a Mediterranean diet after being diagnosed with various types of cancer tend to live longer and have a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular diseases than those who do not.
Published on the 2nd in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the research revealed that the risk of early death for those adhering to a Mediterranean diet post-cancer diagnosis was reduced by 32%, and the death rate related to cardiovascular diseases was 60% lower. These benefits were observed regardless of the type of cancer.
Maria Benedetta Donati, a researcher at the Umberto Veronesi Foundation in Italy, stated in a press release that recent data supports the compelling hypothesis that various chronic diseases, including tumors and heart disease, may share common molecular mechanisms. This concept is known as common soil in medical literature, indicating a shared origin for these disorders.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, and olive oil. It also recommends eating fish and seafood at least twice a week, as well as dairy and low-fat proteins in small amounts daily. It advises against red meat, processed foods, and sugary drinks.
From 2005 to 2010, the researchers recruited 800 adult cancer patients in Italy and tracked them for over 13 years. Participants provided detailed information about their dietary habits as part of the study.
Marialaura Bonaccio, the lead author of the paper and head of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention at the IRCCS Neuromed Mediterranean Neurological Institute, noted that while research has confirmed the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in preventing certain types of tumors, the advantages it might offer to individuals already diagnosed with cancer remain less understood.
Chiara Tonelli, a researcher and the chair of the Scientific Committee of the Umberto Veronesi Foundation, emphasized, “The Mediterranean Diet is mostly composed of foods such as fruit, vegetables, and olive oil, that are natural sources of antioxidant compounds, which could explain the advantage observed in terms of mortality not only from cancer but also from cardiovascular diseases, that can be reduced by diets particularly rich in these bioactive compounds.”
