Macro partitioning
Among popular named diets, the Mediterranean diet is the only one that maintains significant LDL cholesterol reduction benefits at 12 months, whereas other cardiovascular risk factor improvements disappear.
If your goal is long-term LDL cholesterol management, the Mediterranean diet is the only popular named diet in this review that maintains its benefit at 12 months. Other diets may lower LDL initially, but the effect tends to fade. Consider adopting Mediterranean principles if lipid control is a primary long-term concern.
Weight reduction at the 12 month follow-up diminished, and aside from the Mediterranean diet for LDL reduction, improvements in cardiovascular risk factors largely disappeared
Why this rating
Moderate certainty for 6-month LDL reduction, but 12-month data is less robust and limited to this specific diet.
Source
Comparison of dietary macronutrient patterns of 14 popular named dietary programmes for weight and cardiovascular risk factor reduction in adults: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials
Long Ge et al. · BMJ · 2020
DOI 10.1136/bmj.m696
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