This week on the Olive Health Information System website

The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health

The Mediterranean diet has long been associated with a reduced risk of noncommunicable diseases, thanks in part to its key components – most notably, extra virgin olive oil. Rich in phytochemicals and healthy fats, olive oil has demonstrated numerous health benefits, particularly for liver health. The PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) study explored the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, as measured by the hepatic steatosis index (HSI). In this five-year study involving 3,145 participants, those who followed the Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil showed significantly lower HSI scores (β = −0.620, 95% CI: −1.077, −0.164) compared to those following a low-fat control diet. These findings suggest that olive oil’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties may play a central role in these beneficial effects.

Beyond liver health, emerging research highlights the broader metabolic benefits of dietary patterns rich in fiber, such as the Mediterranean diet. Recent studies have shown that gut microbiota, which ferments dietary fiber into metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, plays a key role in regulating metabolic and inflammatory pathways. A prospective cohort from the Di@bet.es study found that higher circulating levels of short-chain fatty acids, associated with greater intake of fiber-rich foods, predicted a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over a seven-year follow-up period. These findings reinforce the importance of whole dietary patterns, rather than isolated nutrients, in chronic disease prevention.

In summary, growing evidence supports the health-promoting potential of the Mediterranean diet and its signature elements, such as olive oil and dietary fiber. Still, further well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these benefits and define optimal intake levels.

Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:

 Olive Fruit

Genetic markers of olive fruit weight selected to be used in breeding experiments

Molecular characterization of homogentisate phytyltransferase and methylphytylbenzoquinol methyltransferase genes from olive fruit with regard to the tocopherol content and the response to abiotic stresses.

Type 2 Diabetes

Nut consumption, linoleic and α-linolenic acid intakes, and genetics: how fatty acid desaturase 1 impacts plasma fatty acids and type 2 diabetes risk in EPIC-InterAct and PREDIMED studies.

Circulating short-chain fatty acids and Mediterranean food patterns. A potential role for the prediction of type 2 diabetes risk: The Di@bet.es Study.

Mortality

Food biodiversity and mortality in older Mediterranean adults with high cardiovascular risk.

Liver Disease

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet to prevent or delay hepatic steatosis: a longitudinal analysis within the PREDIMED study.

Effect of Mediterranean and Western diets on fatigue in patients with autoimmune hepatitis: Protocol for a randomized crossover diet intervention trial.

Sustainable Dietary Patterns

Digital healthy eating literacy: its role in sustainable food choices and mediterranean diet adherence.

Environmental Impact of Current Diets and Alternative Dietary Scenarios Worldwide: A Systematic Review.

The role of Mediterranean diet in reducing household food waste: the UniFoodWaste study among italian students.

Cardiovascular Disease

The effect of menopause on the associations between dietary intake and the 20-year incidence of cardiovascular disease in women: the ATTICA cohort study (2002-2022).

Children

Cross-sectional associations between Mediterranean diet and body composition in preschool children. CORAL study.

Others

Association of Pregnancy Diet with Metabolic Adverse Outcomes in Pregnant Women and Their Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Elucidating the (lipo)Phenolic Composition of Olive Oil By-Products and Biomass From Three Different Olea Europaea Cultivars by Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Photodiode Array and Mass Spectrometry.

Secoiridoid-enriched extra virgin olive oil extracts enhance mitochondrial activity and antioxidant response in colorectal cancer cells: The role of Oleacein and Oleocanthal in PPARγ interaction.