Giving Compass' Take:

•The results show that the Mediterranean diet almost always remains beneficial but that a rise in saturated fats, or the loss of fish, loss of a moderate amount of alcohol or fewer cereals, appear to have some of the biggest effects in reducing the size of the benefit. People aged 65 or older who adhere to diet rich in fish, nuts and fresh vegetables have 25% lower risk of death.

•What other diets are scientists looking at to prolong life for the elderly? Why exactly is the Mediterranean diet proven to work best?

•Here's another example on how diet is linked to longevity.

It’s been touted as the recipe for a healthy life, preventing all manner of ills. Now researchers say a Mediterranean diet still offers benefits in older age and could reduce the risk of death.

While somewhat nebulous in specific makeup, the diet is typically said to be rich in fish, nuts, fresh vegetables, olive oil and fruit.

“Because we are facing an ageing process all over the world, in particular in Europe, it is particularly important to see which kinds of tools we have today to face this ageing process,” said Marialaura Bonaccio, an epidemiologist at the Mediterranean Neurological Institute, IRCCS Neuromed, and first author of the study.

Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the study looked at the health and diet of 5,200 individuals aged 65 and over from the Molise region in Italy, who were recruited as part of a larger study between 2005 and 2010, and followed up until 2015, during which time 900 deaths occurred.

Read more about the Mediterranean diet by Nicola Davis at The Guardian