Does following a Mediterranean diet reduce mortality?

The main principles of the Mediterranean diet

Known for being as healthy as it is sunny and colourful, the Mediterranean diet, or Cretan diet, is based on eating fresh, seasonal and local foods (1).

It is characterised by:

• a strong emphasis on plant-based foods (fruit, vegetables, nuts, cereals) and olive oil
• moderate consumption of fish and poultry
• a low proportion of dairy products (mainly yoghurt and cheese), red meat, charcuterie and sweet treats
• moderate consumption of red wine with meals

Based on the traditional eating habits of the countries of the Mediterranean basin, this dietary model is attracting growing interest in anti-ageing research.

In particular, the Mediterranean diet has been the subject of numerous scientific studies, which have highlighted its benefits for cardiovascular health (2).

In a recent report, the World Health Organisation also highlighted the fact that this type of diet is associated with a reduced risk of cancer, cognitive and cardiovascular disease, as well as preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes (3).

The Mediterranean diet was even included on the 2013 UNESCO World Heritage List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Mediterranean diet and mortality: the results of a recent Australian study

A study conducted in Australia and published in 2025 in The Journal of Nutrition examined the link between the Mediterranean diet and life expectancy (4).

In this research, 7,845 women, aged between 50 and 55 at the outset, were followed for 17 years. The results show that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is correlated with a reduction in mortality.

Over the 17 years of follow-up, the women who followed this diet most faithfully had a 36% lower risk of death from all causes than those who followed it least faithfully.

To assess this link between diet and mortality, the participants were divided into four groups according to their degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, from the least compliant (1st group) to the most compliant (4th group).

The results showed that compared with the least compliant group, those in the third group had a 21% reduced risk of death, and those in the fourth group had a 36% reduced risk.

And these results remained valid even after taking into account other variables that can influence mortality, such as age, smoking, weight, physical activity or certain medical histories (which reinforces the hypothesis of a specific effect of the Mediterranean diet).

Although limited to a specific demographic group, this study opens up promising prospects.

As well as adding to an already solid body of evidence on the cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of the Mediterranean diet, it suggests that it may also influence longevity.

What nutrients are typical of this type of diet, and where can you find them?

According to various scientific publications, several key nutrients could explain the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

The high polyphenol content of fresh foods

Inflammation, pollution, smoking, chronic stress... Throughout our lives, the body is exposed to harmful factors that accelerate cellular ageing.

In the Mediterranean diet, polyphenols are found in abundance in fruit and vegetables, as well as in red wine and olive oil.

Produced naturally by plants, these molecules could help neutralise the free radicals produced by our bodies in response to environmental and physiological factors, and have an impact on overall health (5).

But the foods that are richest in polyphenols, studied for their potential antioxidant action and their possible effects on cardiovascular health, are not always the ones we eat the most of every day: opting for targeted supplementation may therefore be a good idea.

Discover Double Pomegranate, a dietary supplement rich in polyphenolic compounds derived from pomegranates, to boost your intake of polyphenols.

Several antioxidants with recognised benefits on oxidative stress

The Mediterranean diet is not just rich in polyphenols: it also benefits from a diversity of natural antioxidants, known for their role in protecting cells against oxidative stress.

Several antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and selenium, are found in citrus fruits, peppers, nuts, vegetable oils, fish and seafood.

Discover Antioxidant Synergy, a single formula combining several plant extracts with antioxidant properties, including grape-seed and green tea extracts, along with glutathione.

Compounds from the olive tree: numerous effects under study

A symbol of Mediterranean culture, the olive tree doesn't only provide an oil rich in monounsaturated fatty acids.

Its leaves and fruit also contain active compounds such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, two polyphenols specific to this tree.

Used in phytotherapy since ancient times, olive leaves have long been studied for their antilipidaemic, antiseptic and antiviral properties.

Modern research is highlighting many other potential effects: they could also be cardioprotective, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, neuroprotective and anti-ageing (6-10)!

Discover Olive Leaf Extract, a natural formula produced from olive leaves and designed to control lipid levels thanks to its exceptional oleuropein content.

Omega-3 for cardiovascular and cognitive health

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that play an important role in the Mediterranean diet.

They are found mainly in oily fish, seafood and certain nuts and seeds.

The best known, EPA and DHA, contribute to the normal functioning of the heart and the maintenance of normal blood pressure and triglyceride levels (11).

However, actual intakes in Europe and America are often 2 to 8 times lower than the minimum recommended by the World Health Organisation (12).

Discover Super Omega-3, a concentrated and purified formula of EPA and DHA of marine origin, designed to provide an optimal intake and support cardiovascular, cerebral and visual health.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the rare vitamins that our bodies can synthesise themselves: under the action of UVB rays, the skin produces previtamin D3, which is rapidly converted into active vitamin D3 before being stored or used by the body.

Vitamin D contributes in particular to:

• maintaining normal bone structure
• maintaining normal muscular function
• normal functioning of the immune system
• normal absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus

But the sun isn't the only way to increase your vitamin D levels!

This vitamin is found in oily fish (preferably wild) such as salmon, mackerel and sardines (13). It is also present in cod liver oil, where it is highly concentrated, and in offal and egg yolk (in smaller quantities).

Although most of our needs are met by skin synthesis under the effect of the sun and the rest by diet, deficiencies are still frequent.

Even in summer, limited sunlight, too little exposure to natural light or a diet lacking in sources of vitamin D can compromise optimal intake.

Discover Vitamin D3 1000 IU, a highly bioavailable vitamin D3 food supplement in the form most easily assimilated by the human body.