The Mediterranean Diet Can Help You Age With Better Quality of Life and Mental Health

Did you know that your diet can influence your happiness? A large study revealed that people over 50 who follow the Mediterranean diet not only show greater psychological well-being, but also coped much better with the stress of the pandemic. Discover how what you put on your plate can also protect your mind.

For decades, the Mediterranean diet has been known for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and increasing longevity. Rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, nuts, and whole grains, it is considered one of the healthiest dietary patterns in the world.

In recent years, however, scientists have begun to investigate an even more interesting question: does what we put on our plate also influence our happiness, our ability to cope with stress, and our psychological well-being?

This question is especially important because, with aging, many people face losses, illnesses, social isolation, and other challenges that can affect mental health. Although several studies have already shown that the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower rates of depression, there was still little evidence about its impact on positive aspects of mental health, such as feeling satisfied with life, maintaining enthusiasm, preserving autonomy, and facing difficulties with greater resilience. It was precisely this gap that English researchers decided to investigate.

To answer this question, researchers analyzed information from 3,296 men and women aged 50 and over, participants in one of the largest aging studies in England. Initially, each participant meticulously recorded everything they had consumed over several days. From this information, scientists calculated how closely each person's diet resembled the Mediterranean diet.

Next, the volunteers answered validated questionnaires that measure psychological well-being, assessing aspects such as sense of accomplishment, enjoyment of life, independence, self-esteem, and quality of personal relationships. In addition, researchers collected information on physical activity, income, education, smoking, chronic diseases, and symptoms of depression. This was crucial to separate the effect of diet from other factors that could also influence well-being.

The study gained even more weight because it took place shortly before one of the most stressful periods in recent history: the coronavirus pandemic. When social restrictions began in 2020, the same participants were reassessed.

This scenario created a unique opportunity to observe who was best able to preserve their emotional well-being in the face of an event that increased anxiety, loneliness, and psychological distress in virtually the entire population. In other words, researchers were able to verify whether a healthy diet helped people cope better with a situation of enormous emotional pressure.

The results were quite consistent. People who followed a diet closer to the Mediterranean diet showed higher levels of psychological well-being, even when researchers took into account important factors such as symptoms of depression, health conditions, socioeconomic level, physical activity, and lifestyle habits.

Even more interestingly, during the first months of the pandemic, those who already maintained this dietary pattern experienced a significantly smaller decline in emotional well-being. This suggests that a healthy diet may not only reduce the risk of mental disorders but also increase the brain's ability to cope with periods of high stress.

Although this study does not prove that the Mediterranean diet is the direct cause of this effect, there are several quite plausible biological explanations. Foods rich in antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress, while fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria, which produce substances capable of influencing brain function.

Olive oil, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, and vegetables also help reduce inflammatory processes, now recognized as important factors involved in depression, anxiety, and even cognitive decline. Furthermore, a balanced diet promotes healthy blood vessels, improves metabolism, and provides essential nutrients for the proper functioning of neurons.

Overall, the results reinforce an idea increasingly accepted by science: taking care of our diet doesn't just mean preventing physical illnesses. What we eat daily can also influence our mood, our quality of life, our ability to face challenges, and even how we age emotionally.

In a population that is living longer and longer, investing in healthy eating habits can represent a simple, accessible, and powerful strategy to preserve not only the body but also brain health and psychological well-being over the years.

READ MORE:

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and psychological wellbeing before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Alanna Jo Shand, Andrew Steptoe, and Camille Lassale. 

BMJ Open. Volume 16, Issue 6, 2026

DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-109599

Abstract: 

Following a Mediterranean-like diet has been associated with lower depression levels but there has been limited study of links with positive states of psychological well-being. We tested whether adherence to a Mediterranean diet was cross-sectionally associated with positive well-being among older adults in England in 2018/2019 and prospectively through the COVID-19 pandemic. Prospective observational cohort analysis. Population study of older people ≥50 years in England. 3296 participants (46% men) in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) aged 68.18±7.43 years, who completed a dietary module in 2018/2019 for the assessment of the Mediterranean diet (relative Mediterranean Diet Index (rMED)). Psychological well-being measured using the CASP12 at baseline (2018/2019) and again in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Cross-sectionally, higher rMED scores were associated with greater psychological well-being (β=0.054, p<0.001), independent of depressive symptoms, income, education, physical activity, smoking, self-rated health and limiting long-standing illness. Longitudinal analyses revealed that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet predicted smaller declines in well-being during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (β=0.026, p=0.042), even after accounting for baseline well-being and COVID-19 infection experience. Greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet was positively associated with psychological well-being among older adults in England. This relationship persisted even during a period of widespread societal stress. Promoting Mediterranean-style dietary patterns may support not only physical but also mental well-being in later life, underscoring the importance of nutritional public health strategies for mental health resilience in ageing populations.