The Study
Nut consumption is inversely associated with both cancer and total mortality in a Mediterranean population: prospective results from the Moli-sani study
This study watched a bunch of people over time and noticed that those who ate more nuts tended to live longer and get less cancer. But it didn’t make people eat nuts—it just observed what they already did, so we can’t say nuts caused the longer life.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at whether eating nuts is linked to living longer, especially in people who live in Mediterranean countries.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 552 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — eating nuts regularly was linked to a big drop in death risk, especially for people whose overall diet wasn't very healthy.
- 2People who ate nuts at least 8 times a month were 47% less likely to die from any cause and 36% less likely to die from cancer over 4.3 years, compared to those who never ate nuts.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
British Journal of Nutrition
Year
2015
Authors
M. Bonaccio, A. Di Castelnuovo, A. De Curtis, S. Costanzo, F. Bracone, M. Persichillo, M. Donati, G. de Gaetano, L. Iacoviello
Related Content
Claims (5)
People in Mediterranean populations who eat more nuts have a 36% lower chance of dying from cancer over 4.3 years, compared to those who eat fewer nuts, even when accounting for other diet and lifestyle habits.
Adults in Mediterranean populations who eat nuts at least eight times a month have a 47% lower risk of dying over a 4.3-year period compared to those who never eat nuts.
People who eat nuts have lower levels of certain blood markers linked to inflammation, but these markers do not account for why nut eaters tend to live longer.
People who eat more nuts and follow the Mediterranean diet less closely have a lower risk of death compared to those who eat fewer nuts and also follow the Mediterranean diet less closely.
People who eat a poor-quality diet benefit more from eating walnuts in terms of reduced risk of death than people who already eat a healthy diet.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.