Wurzburg City, Germany (IINA) – The Mediterranean diet is well-known for its health benefits on your heart and waistline, but now your bones could benefit too, according to a new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

A group of researchers, led by Dr. Bernhard Haring of the University of Wurzburg, in Germany studied a possible link between following the Mediterranean diet and a reduction of hip fractures among senior women, Pulse Headlines Daily News & Analysis reported.

In a randomized study, the team analyzed data from 40 clinical centers from the United States. They also analyzed the Women’s Health Initiative Study.

Originally, another research team tracked the medical history of 90,014 patients also following their specific diets. They compared their eating patterns to four major healthy diets including the Mediterranean.

Their main goal was to assess the impact of healthy diet on cardiovascular diseases. The team led by Dr. Haring used this information and with the help of the medical history, they noticed that in 16 years there were 2,121 cases of hip fracture and 28,718 cases of total fracture, which represents a little more than 30 percent of the whole group. They found out that women who followed the Mediterranean diet were 0.29 percent less likely to suffer a hip fracture.

There is not a specific formula to follow the Mediterranean diet. However, there are clear guidelines on what to eat and what to avoid to follow the famous plan. It is basically a lifestyle, it includes red meat, sugar, refined grains and oils. The diet also encourages to eat vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, tubers and moderate amounts of poultry. It translates to eat more natural and avoid anything that is processed including diet menus.

There are too many countries around the Mediterranean Sea and they have very different diets, but there are some tendencies. Virgin olive oil and seafood are included in every variation of the diet. All plans also encourage physical activity and sharing meals with others.