This week on OHIS

This week on the Olive Health Information System website

The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health

Research exploring the connection between diet and mental health continues to grow. Two recent high-quality studies shed light on how specific dietary patterns—particularly the Mediterranean Diet—may influence depression risk and mortality in vulnerable populations, including cancer survivors.

The first study, a systematic review and meta-analysis including more than 700,000 participants, examined the link between overall diet quality and the risk of depression. The results suggest that individuals who follow healthier diets—particularly the Mediterranean Diet—tend to report fewer depressive symptoms. Although the overall strength of the evidence remains modest, mainly due to limitations in clinical trial design, these findings highlight the potential protective role of this eating pattern. Key components of the Mediterranean Diet, such as extra virgin olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids, may contribute to these benefits through their well-established anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

The second study focused on U.S. cancer survivors and looked at how depressive symptoms and diet quality together relate to mortality risk. Participants who followed a healthy dietary pattern—measured using tools like the Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (aMED) and the PREDIMED-based MED Index—and reported minimal depressive symptoms showed significantly lower rates of both all-cause and non-cancer mortality. Notably, high adherence to the Mediterranean Diet emerged as one of the most protective factors.

These findings reinforce the idea that the Mediterranean Diet, with olive oil as a central element, may support not only physical health, but also emotional well-being and longevity. Promoting this dietary pattern could be a valuable strategy for improving quality of life, particularly in people living with chronic health conditions.

Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:

 Cardiovascular disease

The Role of Olive Oil in Cardiometabolic Risk.

Liver disease

Effects of a 12-Week Mediterranean-Type Time-Restricted Feeding Protocol in Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial-The ‘CHRONO-NAFLD Project’.

Neurodegenerative diseases and mental health

Lifestyle Interventions and Innovative Approaches for the Management of Neurodegenerative Disorders in Older Adults-State-Of-The-Art and Future

Diet quality and depression risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies.Directions.

The MIND diet, cognitive function, and well-being among healthy adults at midlife: a randomised feasibility trial.

Mortality

Joint association of depressive symptoms and dietary patterns with mortality among US cancer survivors: a population-based study.

Olive oil

High Polyphenol Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity: A Scoping Review of Preclinical Data and Clinical Trials.

Unraveling the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Effect on Inflammation and on Gut and Saliva Microbiota.

Other diseases

Contributions of Dietary Patterns and Factors to Regulation of Rheumatoid Disease.

The association between the Mediterranean Diet and the prime diet quality score and new-diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome: a matched case-control study.

Sustainability

Do the Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet Increase with a Higher Proportion of Whole Plant-Based Foods?