A traditional Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, vegetables and fish appears to help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a Spanish research published Friday.

In the study published online in the British Medical Journal, researchers from the University of Navarra tracked the diets of over 13,000 graduates of the university between 1999 and 2007, none of whom had any history of diabetes.

The 13,000 men and women, of varying ages, were all scored on their own recollection of which elements of the Mediterranean diet they followed in day-to-day life, and split into three groups, depending on the level of their adherence to the diet.

Their health and dietary habits were then tracked in detail over the following months and years.

Researchers found that people who strictly adhered to the diet had an 83 percent reduction in their risk of developing diabetes. Those who moderately followed the diet had their risk reduced by 59 percent.

The major protective characteristics of Mediterranean diet are believed to be a high intake of fiber and vegetable fat combined with a low intake of trans fatty acids and a moderate intake of alcohol. And olive oil is already known to improve blood sugar control and lower blood pressure.

Type 2 diabetes has become an epidemic in developed and developing countries, with the blame being pinned on a switch to sugary and fatty diets and sedentary lifestyle.

Without treatment by synthetic doses of insulin, diabetes can result in kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and death.

(Xinhua/Agencies May 30, 2008)