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Mediterranean diet and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised trials

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 72, pages 30–43 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Research has shown that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of major chronic disease. However, the existing literature leads to debate for different issues, such as the measurement of the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the use of a wide variety of dietary indices with various food components and the large heterogeneity across the studies. In order to summarise the evidence and evaluate the validity of the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and multiple health outcomes, an umbrella review of the evidence across meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised clinical trials (RCTs) was performed. Thirteen meta-analyses of observational studies and 16 meta-analyses of RCTs investigating the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and 37 different health outcomes, for a total population of over than 12 800 000 subjects, were identified. A robust evidence, supported by a P-value<0.001, a large simple size, and not a considerable heterogeneity between studies, for a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a reduced the risk of overall mortality, cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, overall cancer incidence, neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes was found. For most of the site-specific cancers, as well as for inflammatory and metabolic parameters, the evidence was only suggestive or weak and further studies are needed to draw firmer conclusions. No evidence, on the other hand, was reported for bladder, endometrial and ovarian cancers, as well as for LDL (low density lipoprotein)-cholesterol levels.

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Acknowledgements

Author contributions

FS had the original idea for the study and designed the study. MD, GP and FS did the analysis. MD and FS wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors contributed to writing and reviewing the manuscript. AC and FS had final responsibility for the decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    M Dinu, G Pagliai, A Casini & F Sofi

  2. Unit of Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital of Careggi, Florence, Italy

    A Casini & F Sofi

  3. Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation Italy, Onlus IRCCS, Florence, Italy

    F Sofi

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  1. M Dinu
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  4. F Sofi
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Correspondence to M Dinu.

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Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on European Journal of Clinical Nutrition website

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Dinu, M., Pagliai, G., Casini, A. et al. Mediterranean diet and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised trials. Eur J Clin Nutr 72, 30–43 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2017.58

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