Dietary interventions more effective in younger people, new research finds.

21st June 2018

Short-term dietary interventions based on the Mediterranean diet that are prescribed to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) are more effective in younger adults, a study by Sheffield Hallam University has found.

Looking at the affects of a short-term Mediterranean diet, researchers in the University's Centre for Sport and Exercise Science observed better improvements in the physiological functions in 18 to 35-year-olds than older adults aged between 55 and 75. A group of 24 adults took part in the pilot study and were asked to follow a Mediterranean diet for four weeks. Weight, height, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure and heart rate measurements were taken before and after the trial together with other physiological assessments. The study, which has been published in Nutrition, concluded that a short-term Mediterranean diet offered physiological benefits in a younger population however, no significant improvements were observed in a senior, healthy population and therefore different durations of dietary interventions should be applied to different age groups. Leading the study, Dr Markos Klonizakis, said: "The benefits of a Mediterranean diet are undeniable but there are certain elements that need to be explored further. For example, it is unknown what the optimal duration of a Mediterranean diet is and at which point we start to see cardiovascular benefits. "CVD affects more than 7 million people in the UK, and the cost of managing cardiovascular diseases is more than £28 billion per year. If we can determine optimal duration for different age groups, we could help to provide a clearer structure for health practitioners to develop more effective interventions for specific populations."