Research
Energy balance
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet is not associated with weight gain and may facilitate weight loss, particularly when energy-restricted, without the deleterious effects of low-fat diets.
You can lose weight on a Mediterranean diet even though it includes healthy fats like olive oil and nuts. Focus on portion control and energy balance. Studies show that MedDiet can lead to greater weight loss than low-fat diets when calories are restricted, and it does not cause weight gain.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Evidence from observational studies has suggested that MedDiet is not associated with weight gain or increased waist circumference... suggestive evidence with moderate effects from observational and intervention studies has shown that MedDiet is not associated with obesity and does not increase weight gain.
Why this rating
Strong observational data and supportive RCTs showing equivalence or superiority to low-fat diets for weight loss.
Source
The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview
Marta Guasch‐Ferré et al. · Journal of Internal Medicine · 2021
DOI 10.1111/joim.13333
narrative_reviewCited 852×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) significantly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality, in both primary and secondary prevention populations.Strong
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improves glycaemic control in patients with existing type 2 diabetes.Good
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet is associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, and improves cognitive function in older adults.Good
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
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