WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2024 (HealthDay News) — High adherence to the Mediterranean diet may protect against COVID-19, with unclear benefits for symptoms and severity, according to a review published online Aug. 21 in PLOS ONE.

Ceria Halim, M.D., from Universitas Sumatera Utara in Indonesia, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to understand the association between the Mediterranean diet and COVID-19, its symptoms, and its severity.

Based on six included articles (55,489 patients), the researchers found a significant correlation between increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduced COVID-19 risk (four studies), while one study indicated a nonsignificant association. There was a significant association between higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet and COVID-19 symptoms in one study, but three studies reported a nonsignificant association. Individuals with higher adherence had reduced likelihood of developing severe COVID-19 in one study, but two studies yielded inconclusive findings.

“As more and more countries have loosened on personal protective equipment and social distancing regulations, a nutritional strategy may be more feasible and beneficial long-term,” the authors write. “The results of the present study may shed some light on additional benefits of Mediterranean diet against COVID-19. The findings also suggest that specific food groups in the Mediterranean diet may be more important in reducing COVID-19 odds. More studies should be conducted before definitive conclusions can be drawn.”

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