September 9/Disease Risk Factor Week -- A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that compared with a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate Mediterranean-style diet led to more favorable changes in glycemic control and coronary risk factors and delayed the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy for overweight patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Compared with the standard U.S. diet, the Mediterranean diet uses larger amounts of nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It also uses fewer carbohydrates and larger amounts of "healthy" oil and fat, such as olive oil. The diet has been shown to improve some risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in people at risk for those diseases. However, its effects in people who already have the diseases have not been studied, and few direct comparisons of Mediterranean and standard diets are available.