Health · Medical Research · 1 hr ago
Blood markers linked to Mediterranean diet adherence and longer survival
Researchers linked blood markers of Mediterranean diet adherence to longer survival in a study of adults in Spain and the United States.
The diet emphasizes olive oil, fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and fish, and is often assessed through people's own reports of what they eat.
The researchers used a signature of 67 blood metabolites to estimate how closely participants followed the diet.
In the Spanish group, people with scores in the highest third had a 23% lower relative hazard of death than those in the lowest third.
The association was also found in three large US health studies, which followed participants for an average of 25 years.
These findings suggest blood tests may add information beyond food questionnaires, but the association does not prove the diet caused longer survival.
A 67-metabolite blood signature linked to Mediterranean diet adherence was associated with lower mortality in a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
In the PREDIMED analysis, participants in the highest third of signature scores had a 23% lower relative hazard of death than those in the lowest third.
Each standard deviation increase in the signature was associated with a 19% lower relative hazard of death.
Researchers also reported that the findings remained broadly consistent in sensitivity analyses and after adjustment for reported dietary adherence.
The association was examined in independent cohorts comprising 12,704 participants from three US health studies.
- Who
- Researchers studying participants in the PREDIMED trial and three US health studies.
- What
- They examined whether a 67-metabolite blood signature of Mediterranean diet adherence was associated with mortality.
- When
- The PREDIMED trial ran from 2003 to 2011; its participants were followed for approximately 13.2 years.
- Where
- The study included participants in Spain’s PREDIMED trial and US Nurses’ Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
- Why
- To assess whether a blood-based measure of Mediterranean diet adherence could predict long-term mortality.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The PREDIMED randomized nutritional intervention trial was conducted in Spain.
A subset of participants had repeat measurements of the 67-metabolite signature.
Participants in the PREDIMED analysis were followed for mortality outcomes.
Participants in the independent US cohorts were followed on average.
- Metabolite signature
- 67 metabolites, selected from 302 analyzed compounds
- PREDIMED volunteers
- 7,447
- PREDIMED baseline metabolomic data
- 1,880 participants
- PREDIMED repeat measurements
- 1,648 participants
- PREDIMED highest versus lowest score third
- 23% lower relative hazard of death
- Independent cohorts
- 12,704 participants in three US health studies