Mediterranean diet may slow diabetes progression

By Kathryn Doyle NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – For people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, eating lots of olive oil, fish and whole grains slows progression of the disease more than restricting fat, according to a new analysis. In a trial that followed participants for more than eight years, those following a so-called Mediterranean diet went significantly longer before needing diabetes medication and more of them had their diabetes go into remission, compared to those on a low-fat diet. “There’s been lots of epidemiology suggesting that a Mediterranean diet was beneficial with metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” Dr. Leanne Olansky told Reuters Health. “But this was a randomized controlled trial, so we know it really was the diet causing the results,” she said.