The Mediterranean diet, which prioritizes fruits and vegetables while limiting fatty foods and animal products, is known for having numerous cardiovascular benefits. According to a new study published in the International Journal of Obesity, in fact, the diet can even improve the health of people who aren’t specifically following it.
The study’s authors explored data from 148 family members of patients who followed the Mediterranean diet and were instructed to be more physically active. Over the course of two years, the team found, these family members lost an average of more than eight pounds compared to the family members of control patients who were not following a specific diet.
Having a family member participate in this Mediterranean diet-focused lifestyle intervention was also associated with improved eating habits It was not, however, tied to improved levels of physical activity.
Principal investigator Albert Goday, MD, PhD, of the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute in Barcelona, noted that following a healthy diet appears to be “contagious.”
“In this context it was, fortunately, a beneficial ‘contagion,’ resulting in weight loss and improved dietary habits,” he said in a statement.
Goday also examined what these findings could mean in a larger sense, emphasizing how the cardiovascular benefits of following a heart-healthy diet can continue to spread over time.
“The beneficial effect of the program on one member of the family unit can be extended to its other members, which is extremely significant in terms of reducing the burden of obesity on the public health system,” he added.
The full analysis can be read here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.