Mediterranean Diet Adherence May Protect Against COVID-19
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2024 -- High adherence to the Mediterranean diet may protect against COVID-19, with unclear benefits for symptoms and severity, according to a review published online Aug. 21 in PLOS ONE.
Ceria Halim, M.D., from Universitas Sumatera Utara in Indonesia, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to understand the association between the Mediterranean diet and COVID-19, its symptoms, and its severity.
Based on six included articles (55,489 patients), the researchers found a significant correlation between increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduced COVID-19 risk (four studies), while one study indicated a nonsignificant association. There was a significant association between higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet and COVID-19 symptoms in one study, but three studies reported a nonsignificant association. Individuals with higher adherence had reduced likelihood of developing severe COVID-19 in one study, but two studies yielded inconclusive findings.
"As more and more countries have loosened on personal protective equipment and social distancing regulations, a nutritional strategy may be more feasible and beneficial long-term," the authors write. "The results of the present study may shed some light on additional benefits of Mediterranean diet against COVID-19. The findings also suggest that specific food groups in the Mediterranean diet may be more important in reducing COVID-19 odds. More studies should be conducted before definitive conclusions can be drawn."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Further Support and Information on COVID-19
Read this next
Plant-Based Diet Tied to Weight Loss, Fewer Hot Flashes in Postmenopausal Women
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- A plant-based diet rich in soy, regardless of the level of processing, may benefit both hot flash and weight management in postmenopausal women...
Dietary Patterns May Be Associated With Depressive Symptoms
WEDNESDAY, June 4, 2025 -- Dietary patterns seem to be associated with depressive symptoms, according to a study published online June 3 in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention &...
Total Number of Excess Deaths >14.7 Million in U.S. in 1980 to 2023
THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 -- There were 14,735,913 excess deaths in the United States during 1980 to 2023 compared with other high-income countries (HICs), according to a research...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.