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The Efficacy of the Mediterranean Diet on Obesity Outcomes: A Meta‐Analysis
Author(s) -
Garcia Marissa,
Shook Julia,
Kerstetter Jane,
Kenny Anne,
Bihuniak Jessica,
HuedoMedina Tania
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.254.4
Subject(s) - waist , medicine , obesity , mediterranean diet , body mass index , sample size determination , circumference , meta analysis , demography , intervention (counseling) , mathematics , statistics , geometry , sociology , psychiatry
Objective The impact of a Mediterranean Diet (MD) on obesity is inconclusive. Therefore, the current study was designed to assess the efficacy of this intervention in reducing obesity outcomes and identify moderators of intervention efficacy. Methods We reviewed 16 out of 83 articles published between 1994 and 2014 that met the inclusion criteria, including pre‐ and post‐measurements of weight, waist circumference (WC), or Body Mass Index (BMI), use of the Mediterranean Diet as a dietary intervention and sufficient statistical information to calculate effect sizes. Effect size ( d+ ) was calculated as the standardized mean difference of pre‐ and post‐dietary intervention adjusting for small sample size. All data were analyzed using random‐effects assumptions. Results Analysis of 16 reports shows that out of the 2,852 participants, 67.6% were female with an average mean age of 44.5 years (SD=9.8). A majority (75%) of the studies analyzed were conducted in Europe. There were significant decreases in weight, BMI, and WC from baseline to follow‐up with the use of the Mediterranean Diet as the intervention ( d+ = ‐0.53, 95% CI from ‐0.79 to ‐0.25; d+ = ‐0.49, 95% CI from ‐0.75 to ‐0.24; d+ = ‐0.43, 95% CI from ‐0.75 to ‐0.09, respectively). Length of the intervention explained more than 50% of the variability of the effect sizes; the longer the intervention, the greater the reduction in obesity outcomes by 0.01 standard deviation of the effect per week. Conclusions In addition to the well‐known antiatherogenic effects of the MD, this diet appears to be effective in reducing obesity outcomes with increased effects when followed for longer periods of time.