This week on the Olive Health Information System website

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

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), the hallmark of the Mediterranean diet, modulates key metabolic pathways and exerts well-documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that support cardiometabolic health.

Although these benefits are widely recognized, few studies have examined how EVOO consumption relates to body weight and fat distribution, independent of broader chrono-nutritional patterns – that is, the timing of meals and eating behaviors that may also affect metabolism. A recent cross-sectional study of 16,273 adults examined the associations between EVOO intake, the Chrono-Mediterranean Diet Score (CMDS), and anthropometric outcomes. The CMDS reflects both diet quality and chrono-nutritional habits (meal timing and physical activity patterns). Participants were classified as sporadic, frequent, or regular EVOO consumers. Regular consumers exhibited significantly lower body mass index and smaller waist circumference compared with sporadic ones, in both men and women. Association between EVOO intake and anthropometric outcomes remained robust after adjustment for CMDS. In contrast, non-regular EVOO consumption was significantly associated with greater abdominal adiposity.

Beyond cardiometabolic health, the benefits of EVOO may extend to chronic inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis. The Mediterranean diet has been suggested to play a role in the prevention and management of psoriasis due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, evidence from randomized controlled trials remains limited. Recently, a randomized clinical trial – MEDIPSO (Impact of the Mediterranean Diet on Patients With Psoriasis)—was conducted to evaluate whether a Mediterranean diet enriched with EVOO could improve psoriasis severity. A total of 38 adults with mild to moderate psoriasis were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. Participants in the intervention group received 16 weeks of nutritional counseling focused on the Mediterranean diet and were provided with EVOO, while those in the control group received standard low-fat dietary advice. At the end of the intervention, individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet enriched with EVOO showed a greater reduction in psoriasis severity compared with those in the control group.

Taken together, these findings reinforce the central role of EVOO within the Mediterranean diet, not only as a cornerstone of cardiometabolic health but also as a potential ally in the management of chronic inflammation. A Mediterranean diet rich in EVOO, integrated into a balanced eating schedule, may therefore offer broad and lasting benefits, from improving body composition to supporting skin health.