Lim CC, et al. - The impact of a Mediterranean diet on the correlation between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and cardiovascular disease mortality risk was determined in a large cohort with detailed diet information at the individual level. Researchers linked a prospective cohort (NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study) with 548,845 subjects across six states and two cities in the US with a follow-up period of 17 years (1995-2011) to estimates of annual average exposures to PM_2.5and NO₂ air pollution at the residential census-tract level. Via interaction terms, they assessed the effect modification of the links between exposure and mortality outcomes by alternative Mediterranean Diet Index (aMED). Elevated and significant links with CVD, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and cerebrovascular disease (CER) were reported for PM_2.5; significant associations with CVD, and IHD were reported for NO₂. In a large prospective US cohort, Mediterranean diet resulted in attenuation in cardiovascular disease mortality risk linked to long-term exposure to air pollutants. This implies that the sizable disease burden related to ambient air pollution could be attenuated by increasing intake of foods rich in antioxidant compounds.