KEY POINTS:
The Mediterranean diet, with abundant quantities of virgin olive oil, provides strong protection against diabetes, a study has shown.
The diet, which includes high quantities of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain pulses and cereals is already known to protect against cardiovascular disease and, according to some research, against Alzheimer's disease.
Now scientists in Spain have found that it also offers a defence against the epidemic of diabetes associated with growing rates of obesity and the consumption of high-fat fast food.
Researchers who monitored the eating habits of 13,000 graduates from the University of Navarra for eight years from 1999 to 2007 found those who stuck closely to a Mediterranean diet had an 83 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes.
Those who followed the diet most rigorously had more risk factors for diabetes, such as being older, having a family history of the disease and a history of smoking.
Yet they were less likely to develop the disease.
This suggests the protective effect of the diet may be "substantial", the authors report in the British Medical Journal.
Professor Martinez&-Gonzalez and colleagues from the University of Navarra say: "Substantial protection against diabetes can be obtained with the traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, vegetables, fruit, nuts, cereals, legumes and fish, but relatively low in meat and dairy products."
A key element is the abundant use of virgin oil, they add.
In addition to high levels of antioxidant vitamins, which mop up free radicals - damaging substances in the blood thought to be linked with cancer and arterial damage - the diet also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, both risk factors for heart disease.
People who eat a Mediterranean diet are less likely to be obese, have a lower risk of breast and bowel cancer and half the rate of lung disease.
A study also showed it reduced the risk of Alzheimer's by 40 per cent.
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