Resumen de Investigación
Analyzed using Evidence Intelligence™

Mediterranean Diet Improves Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes

Última actualización 22 de agosto de 2026

Key finding

Adherence to MD increased after the intervention.

The MEDBIOME study investigated the impact of a Mediterranean diet on microbiota and metabolic outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes, finding improvements in dietary adherence and several metabolic markers.

Quick read

Study at a glance

The essential study design details in one scan.

EvidenceScore™

Moderate

Study type

RCTs

Follow-up

Medium-Term (3–12 mo)

Risk of bias

Some Concerns

Guarda investigacion, organiza estudios y vuelve a encontrar evidencia importante rapidamente.

Plain-language summary

What this paper says

A plain-language read of the study’s main message and where it applies.

Study focus

The MEDBIOME study investigated the impact of a Mediterranean diet on microbiota and metabolic outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes, finding improvements in dietary adherence and several metabolic markers.

Clinical relevance

These findings suggest that dietary interventions, such as the Mediterranean diet, can play a crucial role in managing type 2 diabetes by improving metabolic health and gut microbiota composition. This nonpharmacological approach may offer a complementary strategy to traditional diabetes treatments, potentially enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life.

Keep in mind

Effectiveness of the intervention remains unclear due to lack of specific p-values. The study did not measure long-term effects beyond the intervention period. Sample size and demographic characteristics may limit generalizability.

Published in

Referencia de la Revista

Publication details and source links for this paper.

Shámila I, Marta PS, Miguel V, et al. The Role of Microbiota Modulation by a Nonpharmacological Intervention in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: The MEDBIOME Study. Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1228. doi:10.3390/nu13041228

Efectos Principales

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased after the intervention.

Bacterial richness improved after 4 weeks of dietary intervention.

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased by 0.67% at the end of the study.

HOMA-IR was reduced at the end of the study.

Evidence network

How this study fits

Understand where this research contributes within the broader evidence network.

Evidence Context

This study contributes evidence to Mediterranean diet and Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14, Alkaline phosphatase activity assessed in fecal samples, Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), and 4 more.

Primary intervention

Mediterranean diet

Primary outcomes

  • Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14
  • Alkaline phosphatase activity assessed in fecal samples
  • Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Evidence relationships

Intervention and outcome relationships this study adds to the evidence network.

7
Evidence pairs
7
Relationships
5
Evidence topics
contributes_evidence

Editorial context

Why this study matters

See why this paper is useful beyond its individual results.

Evidence network role

This section describes how the study fits into the current evidence network. It does not determine whether an intervention works on its own.

Moderate contributionModerate confidenceNetwork score: 68

5

Related topics

7

Evidence pairs

1729

Related studies

High relevance in at least one topic

Why it is useful

  • Contributes to 7 evidence relationships
  • Includes primary outcome data
  • Linked to 5 direct semantic evidence topics

Topic contributions

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Evidence topic

Contributes evidence

Agrega evidencia relacionada a tu Evidence Tracker

Guarda estudios y paginas de evidencia, organiza tu Evidence Tracker y manten en un solo lugar la investigacion que te importa.

Evidencia principal

Tema de evidencia

Dietary Patterns

matched_intervention_and_outcome

Evidencia relacionada

Tema de evidencia

Insulin Resistance

Guardar evidencia

Core evidence

Study findings

The primary outcomes reported in this study.

Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14

Mediterranean diet → Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14

Mediterranean diet → Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
Moderate
Score 69 · Based on 2 studies
ImpactScore™
100
Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™
100
consistent
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 2 estudios
Add to Evidence Tracker

Alkaline phosphatase activity assessed in fecal samples

Mediterranean diet → Alkaline phosphatase activity assessed in fecal samples

Mediterranean diet → Alkaline phosphatase activity assessed in fecal samples

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
Emerging
Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™
50
Neutral
ConsistencyScore™
unclear
Not enough independent studies
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 1 estudio
Add to Evidence Tracker

Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Mediterranean diet → Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Mediterranean diet → Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
Strong
Score 79 · Based on 4 studies
ImpactScore™
75
Positive
ConsistencyScore™
35
mixed
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 4 estudios
Add to Evidence Tracker

Gut microbiota diversity

Mediterranean diet → Gut microbiota diversity

Mediterranean diet → Gut microbiota diversity

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
Emerging
Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™
100
Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™
unclear
Not enough independent studies
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 1 estudio
Add to Evidence Tracker

HbA1c

Mediterranean diet → HbA1c

Mediterranean diet → HbA1c

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
85
Strong
ImpactScore™
71
Positive
ConsistencyScore™
57
generally_consistent
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 7 estudios
Add to Evidence Tracker

Insulin resistance

Mediterranean diet → Insulin resistance

Mediterranean diet → Insulin resistance

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
Strong
Score 79 · Based on 4 studies
ImpactScore™
76
Positive
ConsistencyScore™
75
consistent
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 4 estudios
Add to Evidence Tracker

Prevotella to Bacteroides ratio after dietary intervention

Mediterranean diet → Prevotella to Bacteroides ratio after dietary intervention

Mediterranean diet → Prevotella to Bacteroides ratio after dietary intervention

Evidence Intelligence™
EvidenceScore™
Emerging
Score 59 · Based on 1 study
ImpactScore™
100
Very Positive
ConsistencyScore™
unclear
Not enough independent studies
Estudios de apoyo: Basado en 1 estudio
Add to Evidence Tracker

Evidence Library

Build your evidence library

Save research, organize studies, and quickly find important evidence again.

evidence suggest

La Evidencia Sugiere

  • Increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet was observed.
  • Bacterial richness increased after 4 weeks of intervention.
  • HbA1c levels decreased by 0.67% at the end of the study.
who this applies

A quién se aplica

  • Adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
  • Individuals seeking nonpharmacological dietary interventions.
keep in mind

Tener en Cuenta

  • Results may not apply to all populations with type 2 diabetes.
  • The study's short duration limits understanding of long-term effects.
  • Further research is needed to confirm findings and explore mechanisms.
between the lines

Entre Líneas

  • Effectiveness of the intervention remains unclear due to lack of specific p-values.
  • The study did not measure long-term effects beyond the intervention period.
  • Sample size and demographic characteristics may limit generalizability.

Evidence Library

Build your evidence library

Save research, organize studies, and quickly find important evidence again.

Connected Evidence

Explore related studies, evidence collections, and research questions.

Relationships organized using the Dediabetes Evidence Intelligence™ framework.

This study contributes to evidence on Mediterranean diet and HbA1c, Mediterranean diet and Fasting Glucose.

Relaciones de evidencia relacionadas

Explore in Evidence Explorer

This study contributes to the evidence on the following intervention-outcome relationships.

Questions answered by this study

Generated from the study's connected evidence using Evidence Intelligence™.

Does Mediterranean diet improve HbA1c?

Strong Evidence

Mediterranean diet may improve HbA1c.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are generally consistent across studies.

Ranked evidence signals

  1. 1

    HbA1c

    EvidenceScore™ Strong | EvidenceScore™ 84.9 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Generally Consistent | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is based on a single supporting study.

Limitations

  • Only one supporting study is available.
  • Population details are unavailable.
1 supporting studyUpdated: Aug 2026

Does Mediterranean diet improve insulin resistance?

Strong Evidence

Mediterranean diet may improve Insulin resistance.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are consistent across studies.

Ranked evidence signals

  1. 1

    Insulin resistance

    EvidenceScore™ Strong | EvidenceScore™ 79.0 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Consistent | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is based on a single supporting study.

Limitations

  • Only one supporting study is available.
  • Population details are unavailable.
1 supporting studyUpdated: Aug 2026

Does Mediterranean diet improve fasting plasma glucose (fpg)?

Strong Evidence

Mediterranean diet may improve Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG).

ConsistencyScore™: Results are mixed and should be interpreted cautiously.

Evidence caveat: The available evidence reports mixed findings.

Ranked evidence signals

  1. 1

    Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

    EvidenceScore™ Strong | EvidenceScore™ 79.0 | moderate positive | ConsistencyScore™ Mixed | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is cautious because the available studies report mixed findings.

Limitations

  • Only one supporting study is available.
  • Population details are unavailable.
1 supporting studyUpdated: Aug 2026

Does Mediterranean diet improve adherence to mediterranean diet measured using medas-14?

Moderate Evidence

Mediterranean diet appears to improve Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14.

ConsistencyScore™: Results are consistent across studies.

Ranked evidence signals

  1. 1

    Adherence to Mediterranean diet measured using MEDAS-14

    EvidenceScore™ Moderate | EvidenceScore™ 69.0 | strong positive | ConsistencyScore™ Consistent | 1 study

Why this answer: This answer is based on a single supporting study.

Limitations

  • Only one supporting study is available.
  • Population details are unavailable.
1 supporting studyUpdated: Aug 2026
Learn how Evidence Intelligence™ works

Next steps

Continue your research

Choose a next path through related evidence topics, Evidence Explorer views, and research summaries.

Sin anuncios. Sin rastreo.

Centrada en la evidencia, no en la publicidad.

Segura y privada

Tus datos siempre están protegidos.

Siempre al día

Se agregan nuevos estudios todos los días.