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
Hospital-Onset Antimicrobial Resistant Infections Increased During COVID-19 Pandemic
MONDAY, May 5, 2025 -- Hospital-onset antimicrobial-resistant infections increased across U.S. hospitals during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published...
Gluten-Free Diet for Celiac Disease Increases Arsenic Exposure in Children
FRIDAY, May 2, 2025 -- Children with newly diagnosed celiac disease have increased arsenic exposure shortly after transitioning to a gluten-free diet, according to a study...
Ultraprocessed Food Intake Contributes to All-Cause Mortality
MONDAY, April 28, 2025 -- Ultraprocessed food intake contributes to all-cause mortality, according to research published online April 28 in the American Journal of Preventive...
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.