PREDIMEDstudien

The PREDIMED study, short for Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea, was a series of clinical trials investigating the benefits of a Mediterranean diet for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Conducted primarily in Spain, these studies involved thousands of participants deemed at high risk for heart problems but without a prior history of cardiovascular events.

The core of the PREDIMED research involved comparing different dietary interventions. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or a control group advised to follow a low-fat diet. The primary outcomes measured included a composite of cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes.

Results from the initial PREDIMED trial, published in 2010, demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of major cardiovascular events in the groups following the supplemented Mediterranean diets compared to the low-fat diet control group. Subsequent analyses and related studies within the PREDIMED framework explored specific dietary components and their impact on various health markers, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cancer.

The PREDIMED studies have been influential in promoting the Mediterranean diet as a heart-healthy eating pattern. However, like many large-scale trials, they have also faced scrutiny and re-analysis regarding data management and statistical methods. Despite these discussions, the overall findings have contributed substantially to the understanding of dietary patterns and cardiovascular health.