Mediterranean diet can reduce risk of diabetes, especially in people with high risk for heart disease.

That's the finding of researchers who reviewed 19 studies that included more than 162,000 people in different countries for an average of 5.5 years, Newsmax Health reports.

The analysis revealed that a Mediterranean diet -- which is rich in fish, nuts, vegetables and fruits -- was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of diabetes compared with other eating patterns.

A Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of diabetes even more -- by 27 percent -- among people at high risk for heart disease. Diabetes prevention is especially important for people at risk of heart disease, according to the authors of the study, which is to be presented Saturday at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting, in Washington, D.C.

"Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of age, sex, race or culture," lead investigator Demosthenes Panagiotakos, a professor at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece, said in a college news release. "This diet has a beneficial effect, even in high-risk groups, and speaks to the fact that it is never too late to start eating a healthy diet."