A greater adherence to the Mediterranean per diem expenses and its characteristic frugality, that is, its moderate calorie intake, is associated with a better quality of life. This is demonstrated by a study published in the international journal PLoS ONE, which includes the results of the PREDIMED PLUS study led by doctors from the Navarra Health Service and the department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Navarra.

Thus, this dietary guideline would not only help to prevent chronic diseases but also to improve mental, social and physical aspects. The research, in which more than 6,000 men and women between 55 and 70 years of age participated, has shown that following a Mediterranean per diem expenses improves health and well-being.

A study of Navarra for the whole of Spain

This work, graduate "Mediterranean diet and quality of life: baseline cross-sectional analysis of the PREDIMED-PLUS trial", has been led by Dr. Iñigo Galilea Zabalza and Dr. Pilar Buil Cosiales, family physicians of the Navarra Health Service; and Estefanía Toledo, professor of the School of Medicine of the University of Navarra. All of them members of high school of research Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA).

PREDIMED PLUS, financed by the European Research Council and whose main researcher is the Full Professor of the University of Navarra and Full Professor visitor of Harvard University Miguel Á. Martínez-González; it is a study with 23 recruiting centers throughout Spain belonging to CIBER and coordinated by Dr. Jordi Salas of the University of Reus.

Navarra was the first community to launch this research and has been providing economic and scientific support to the rest of the participants and leading both the aspects of nutritional assessments and quality of life.