A landmark study has shown that men and women approach the Mediterranean diet in strikingly different ways, even when their overall commitment looks the same.
The international project, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, surveyed 4,010 adults across ten Mediterranean and neighbouring countries to explore how diet interacts with lifestyle factors such as sleep, exercise, mental health and social life.
Researchers confirmed that the Mediterranean diet – centred on vegetables, fruit, olive oil, fish, legumes, and whole grains – continues to support physical and mental health.
But while men and women scored similarly on the MedLife Index, the routes they took to achieve those scores diverged.
- Mediterranean diet supports weight loss but falls short on memory gains in older adults
- Autoimmune disorders improved by a Mediterranean diet
- Bone loss in older women reduced by exercise and a Mediterranean diet
Women were more consistent in cutting down on red and processed meats, choosing whole grains, reducing sugary drinks and cooking with olive oil and herbs.
Men, meanwhile, were more likely to eat fish and legumes, drink more water and in some Mediterranean regions, keep to the tradition of moderate wine consumption.
Lifestyle differences were even more pronounced. Men were typically more physically active, spent more time in group sports and reported better quality sleep.
Women tended to report poorer sleep, longer time getting to sleep and higher rates of insomnia.
They also recorded greater stress, anxiety and depression than men, alongside heavier use of digital devices.
The study also revealed contrasting obstacles.
- Anxiety reduced by eating a Mediterranean diet
- Mediterranean diet could lower heart disease risk in people with type 1 diabetes
- Mediterranean diet reduces mortality risk among women
Women often pointed to taste preferences, lack of knowledge, or attitudes as barriers to healthier eating. Men were more likely to cite low motivation or medical issues.
Despite these contrasts, the research highlighted a clear message: people who adhered more closely to the Mediterranean lifestyle were generally more active, socially engaged, better rested and less stressed.
The authors suggest health programmes may be more effective if tailored by gender. Women may benefit most from nutrition education linked with sleep and wellbeing support, while men might respond better to activity-based approaches tied to cooking and hydration.
Though the findings are based on self-reported data, researchers say they provide an important step towards more personalised public health strategies.
