23 Apr 2019 --- The Mediterranean diet – rich in plant-based proteins, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and olive oil – has long been revered for its health-boosting potential. New research has now found that it may also prevent overeating. Scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine, US, found that nonhuman primates on a Mediterranean diet chose not to eat all the food available to them and maintained a normal weight. In comparison, animals on a Western diet – rich in processed foods – ate far more than they needed and gained weight. The findings provide the first experimental evidence that a Mediterranean diet can protect against increases in consumption, obesity and prediabetes compared to a Western diet.