In The News More Impressive Evidence Regarding The Mediterranean Diet: Consuming This Dietary Pattern Does Not Lead to Weight Gain

It seems like more and more research is mounting about the benefits of consuming the Mediterranean diet!! A recent study was just released revealing that eating a non-calorie restricted Mediterranean diet,  rich in healthy fats (including nuts and olive oil) did not lead to weight gain when compared with eating a low fat diet.  This trial, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal, took place in Spain and involved 7447 participants in 11 hospitals during 2003-2010. Participants in the trial were randomly assigned to three different groups: an un-restricted calorie diet with a high intake of olive oil, an un-restricted calorie diet with a high intake of nuts and a low fat diet, which placed emphasis on avoiding as much dietary fat as possible. All participants were counseled on the diets by a registered dietitian.  Dietary adherence was measure via questionnaires by taking blood and urine samples from a random subgroup. On average all three groups lost weight, however the greatest weight loss was experienced by the olive oil diet group NOT the low-fat diet group. This suggests that focusing on total fat intake alone instead of diet quality/type of fat may be less useful when evaluating effects on weight and other potential health benefits. Check out a summary of the study HERE!