Following a Mediterranean diet can reduce a woman's risk of heart disease by 24 percent, a new Australian study has found. The diet is characterised by the consumption of seafood, wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans and legumes.
The study, published in the medical journal Heart, saw scientists collect data from 16 previous studies on women adhering to Mediterranean diets and assessed their cardiovascular disease risk. The data, which covered over 720,000 women whose cardiovascular health was monitored for an average of 12.5 years, was eye opening for researchers.
Academics from the University of Sydney found that women who had a "high adherence" to a Mediterranean diet were 24 percent less likely to have cardiovascular disease. News agency PA also report that they were They were 23 percent less likely to die from any cause during the follow-up period.
