U.S. News rating, January 2026. No. 1 in every edition since 2018, tied with DASH in 2018.
U.S. NewsDated statistics and sources
Mediterranean Diet Statistics 2026: Rankings, Studies and Facts
Sourced Mediterranean diet statistics for 2026, with U.S. News rankings, trial results, survey figures and corrections to older claims.
Reviewed October 15, 2026
Last updated .
These Mediterranean diet statistics for 2026 bring rankings, study results and survey figures into one place. Each figure links to its source, with the date and limits that can get lost when it is quoted. For the food pattern itself, see our Mediterranean diet guide for beginners.
PREDIMED heart-event results in 7,447 adults. Republished in 2018.
NEJM, 2018CORDIOPREV heart-event results over 7 years.
The Lancet, 2022Death-rate association in women over 24.7 years. After more adjustment: HR 0.89.
JAMA Network Open, 2024Death-rate association per adherence point across 54 cohorts.
Nutrition, 2026Diabetes in PREDIMED-Plus, 2025. The trial combined calorie reduction, activity and weight-loss support.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 2025U.S. adults who said they followed Mediterranean-style eating in the past year.
IFIC survey, 2026UNESCO cultural heritage listing, extended in 2013.
UNESCOHR means hazard ratio, a comparison of event rates over time. RR means relative risk, a comparison of risks between groups. Neither tells you how many people in a group had an event. CI means confidence interval, the range of estimates around a result.
U.S. News rankings by year
U.S. News's diet ratings put the Mediterranean diet at No. 1 in every edition since 2018, tied with DASH in 2018. Its January 2026 rating was 4.8 out of 5. These are expert ratings, not trial results.
| Edition and source | Overall rank | Score as published | Diets rated | Panel size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018, U.S. News | No. 1, tied with DASH | 4.1/5 | 40 | Not stated on pages read |
| 2019, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.2/5 | 41 | Not stated on pages read |
| 2020, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.2/5 | 35 | Not stated on pages read |
| 2021, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.2/5 | 39 | Not stated on pages read |
| 2022, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.2/5 | 40 | Not stated on pages read |
| 2023, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.6/5 | 24 | Not stated on pages read |
| 2024, U.S. News | No. 1 | 85.1% | 30 | 43 dietitians |
| 2025, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.8/5 | 38 | 69 dietitians |
| 2026, U.S. News | No. 1 | 4.8/5 | 38 | Not stated on pages read |
The 2024 score uses a percent scale. We have not converted it to the scale used in other years. We did not find panel sizes for the earlier editions on the pages we checked. No ranking panel size was found for the latest edition.
U.S. News called its January 2026 package Top Expert-Recommended Diets. The pages read do not say whether those scores came from a fresh panel review or were carried forward. Older rows were checked through archived copies of U.S. News's own pages; links here go to the live publisher.
Heart research
| Study and source | Who, study type and follow-up | Published result | Plain limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PREDIMED, republished 2018 | Randomized trial in Spain: 7,447 adults aged 55-80 at high heart and blood-vessel risk, without cardiovascular disease at entry. Median follow-up: 4.8 years. | For the main heart-event outcome, HR was 0.69 (95% CI 0.53-0.91) with extra-virgin olive oil and 0.72 (0.54-0.95) with nuts. Both groups were compared with reduced-fat advice. | The trial had errors in how some people were assigned to groups. The republished analysis adjusted for these. The trial stopped early after a review of its results. |
| CORDIOPREV, 2022 | Randomized trial at a center in Cordoba, Spain: 1,002 adults aged 20-75 with coronary heart disease. Follow-up: 7 years. Mediterranean diet compared with a low-fat diet. | The main heart-event outcome occurred in 87 people in the Mediterranean group and 111 in the low-fat group. Adjusted HRs ranged from 0.719 (0.541-0.957) to 0.753 (0.568-0.998). | This was a single-center trial. People knew which diet they followed. The paper found no difference in the 175 women. |
The current PREDIMED figures come from the republished paper. The NEJM retraction and republication notice records the replacement of the original paper on June 13, 2018. The trial name comes from a Spanish title.
Longevity and mortality
| Study and source | Who, study type and follow-up | Published result | Plain limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Health Study, 2024 | Observational cohort: 25,315 U.S. women, mean starting age 54.6. Mean follow-up: 24.7 years, with 3,879 deaths. | Women with the highest diet scores had a lower rate of death from any cause than those with the lowest scores. The minimally adjusted HR was 0.77 (0.70-0.84). After further lifestyle adjustment, HR was 0.89 (0.82-0.98). | This is an association. Other habits may explain part of it, as the further adjustment shows. It cannot show that diet caused the difference. |
| Nutrition mortality meta-analysis, 2026 | Review of 54 observational cohorts: 1,833,267 people and 346,034 deaths. Follow-up ranged from 2-60 years. The search ran through February 28, 2024. | Each 1-point higher Mediterranean-diet adherence score was linked to a pooled relative risk of death from any cause of 0.96 (0.95-0.97). The paper rated the evidence certainty moderate. | This combines observational studies, so it cannot prove cause and effect. The result describes a score point, not a meal or a serving. |
No newer umbrella review specific to death from any cause was found in our October 2026 source check. The older Dinu et al. umbrella review from 2018 remains a source for that review type. The newer cohort meta-analysis above is a different kind of review.
Brain and memory
| Study and source | Who, study type and follow-up | Published result | Plain limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Biobank, Shannon et al., 2023 | Observational cohort: 60,298 UK adults, followed for a mean 9.1 years. The outcome was dementia diagnosis. | The highest third on the MEDAS diet score had a lower rate of dementia than the lowest third: HR 0.77 (0.65-0.91). The PYRAMID score gave HR 0.86 (0.73-1.02), a result that was not statistically clear. | The two diet scores gave different results. This study shows a link, not that the diet caused fewer diagnoses. |
For more context on trials and mixed findings, see Mediterranean-style eating and dementia research.
Type 2 diabetes
| Study and source | Who, study type and follow-up | Published result | Plain limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PREDIMED-Plus, 2025 | Randomized trial analysis: 4,746 adults aged 55-75 in Spain, with metabolic syndrome and overweight or obesity, without prior cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Median follow-up: 6 years. | The paper reported 31% relatively lower diabetes incidence (CI 18% to 41%) with calorie reduction, more activity and weight-loss support. Absolute risk at 6 years was 9.5% vs 12.0%, with 280 vs 349 cases. The control group also got Mediterranean-diet advice. | This was a planned secondary outcome. It tests the whole package, so the result cannot be assigned to the diet alone. |
| PREDIMED diabetes subgroup, 2014 | Randomized trial subgroup: 3,541 adults aged 55-80 at high cardiovascular risk, without diabetes at entry. Median follow-up: 4.1 years. | Compared with low-fat advice, HR was 0.60 (0.43-0.85) for Mediterranean eating with extra-virgin olive oil. It was 0.82 (0.61-1.10) with nuts, a result that was not statistically clear. | This shares the PREDIMED trial's assignment problems. Group assignment was not stratified by diabetes status. |
Our separate Mediterranean-style eating and diabetes research page covers the broader evidence and guidance.
How many people follow it, and olive oil
- 8% of U.S. adults in IFIC's survey said they followed Mediterranean-style eating in the past year. The online survey covered 3,005 adults and ran from March 22 to April 8, 2026. People could select more than one pattern. This is self-reported past-year use, not a count of people following it today. (IFIC, 2026)
- Seven countries are in UNESCO's Mediterranean diet listing: Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco and Portugal. The listing was extended in 2013. This is cultural heritage status, not a medical rating. (UNESCO, 2013)
- 9.3 kg in Greece, 7.5 kg in Spain and 7.4 kg in Italy were IOC's per-person olive-oil figures for crop year 2022/23. Its U.S. figure was 1.1 kg per person per crop year, but the U.S. year was not stated in that passage. No newer per-person table was found in our October 2026 source check. (International Olive Council, March 2025)
- 437,309 tonnes of olive oil were imported into the United States in crop year 2024/25, a provisional figure. Imports are a trade measure, not a count of people who follow a diet. (International Olive Council, March 2026)
What US guidelines say
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 were released on January 7, 2026. The consumer text read for this page does not name a Mediterranean pattern. In the companion Scientific Foundation report, the term appeared only in cited references. The separate appendices were not read, so this does not establish what they include or omit.
The AHA's dietary guidance statement from 2021 describes a pattern with plant foods, whole grains, fish and liquid plant oils. Its abstract does not name the Mediterranean diet. We have not checked that point in the full text. For a comparison of food guides, see four Mediterranean food guides compared.
Figures that have changed
A figure may fit an older paper or edition and still be wrong when quoted as current. Keep the study name and date with the number.
| Figure still quoted | Where it came from | Current figure or caveat | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth year in a row | Counts tied to the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions. | No. 1 in each edition since 2018, tied with DASH in 2018. January 2026 score: 4.8 out of 5. | U.S. News |
| A 43-person or 69-person panel | The 2024 and 2025 editions, respectively. | The 2026 ranking panel size was not stated on the pages read. | U.S. News |
| PREDIMED's 2013 result as current evidence | The original NEJM paper, withdrawn for errors in group assignment. | Retracted and republished on June 13, 2018. Use the new analysis: HR 0.69 with olive oil and 0.72 with nuts. | NEJM republished analysis |
| 23% lower mortality without a caveat | The minimally adjusted Women's Health Study result in 2024, HR 0.77. | After more lifestyle adjustment: HR 0.89. Both figures are observational associations. | JAMA Network Open |
| 23% lower dementia rate as the sole result | The MEDAS-score result in UK Biobank, 2023. | HR 0.77 for MEDAS; HR 0.86 for PYRAMID, whose interval crossed no difference. | BMC Medicine |
| 31% lower diabetes incidence from diet alone | PREDIMED-Plus, 2025. | The trial combined calorie reduction, activity and weight-loss support. Both groups got Mediterranean-diet advice. | Annals of Internal Medicine |
| 6% of Americans follow it | IFIC's 2024 survey. | 8% reported Mediterranean-style eating in the past year in IFIC's 2026 survey. | IFIC |
| UNESCO listing covers four countries | The original 2010 inscription. | The 2013 listing covers seven countries. | UNESCO |
| 1.1 liters of olive oil per U.S. person | A misreading of IOC units. | The figure is 1.1 kilograms per person per crop year. The U.S. year is not stated in that passage. | International Olive Council |
| The current U.S. guidelines list a Mediterranean pattern | Claims based on the 2020-2025 edition. | The 2025-2030 consumer text read does not name it. The separate appendices were not read. | HHS/USDA |
The older IFIC survey reported 6% in 2024. For the PREDIMED publication history, use the NEJM notice dated June 13, 2018 alongside the new analysis.
Methods and sources
This page uses a fact sheet checked on October 15, 2026. Each study row links to the journal's DOI. The research read study abstracts through Europe PMC records. U.S. News blocked direct access, so its figures were read from archived copies of its own pages. We link to live U.S. News pages here.
Randomized trials assign people to groups. Observational studies track habits and outcomes without assigning a diet. They show links but cannot prove cause and effect. Surveys record what people report. Expert rankings and cultural listings do not measure clinical outcomes.
We list figures as published. We do not round, pool or combine study results. The tables keep each group, follow-up period and caveat beside its result. No newer figure is implied by the page's update date when a source is older.
We review this page when U.S. News or major trials publish new results. Source access gaps are stated in the relevant section. For corrections, use the contact form and include the figure and source. See how we research for the site's wider process.
This resource is general information about food and cooking, not medical or dietetic advice. Read the full disclaimer.