Mediterranean diet linked to higher well-being in older adults during pandemic

Older adults in England who followed a Mediterranean diet reported higher psychological well-being than peers who did not during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers tracked more than 3,000 adults ages 50 to 90 and scored each participant on how closely their eating habits matched a traditional Mediterranean pattern.

Study design and measures Participants completed surveys measuring autonomy, life satisfaction, purpose, and control over daily routines. Adults whose diets aligned closely with the Mediterranean pattern scored higher on overall well-being. The difference remained after researchers adjusted for income, education, physical activity, smoking, and general physical health.

Caloric intake did not explain the gap.

Changes during lockdowns Emotional well-being and happiness declined across the full group during lockdowns. The decline was smaller among those who maintained the Mediterranean diet, according to the study published in BMJ Open. The study relied on self-reported dietary data collected on two days and psychological assessments given twice early in the pandemic.

Participants who completed follow-up tended to be healthier and wealthier than the general population. Researchers noted the observational design prevents establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the diet and mental health outcomes.