Olive Oil and Mortality: The 28-Year Study | DirectCare AI
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Blog Nutrition November 14, 2026 Clinically reviewed by Dr. Tim Pepin on

Olive Oil and Mortality: What a 28-Year Study Found

US adults who ate more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 19% lower risk of death over 28 years than those who rarely used it.

In a 2022 analysis of two large US cohorts followed for 28 years, adults who consumed more than half a tablespoon (7 grams) of olive oil a day had a 19% lower risk of death from any cause than those who never or rarely consumed it. Replacing 10 grams a day of butter, margarine, mayonnaise or dairy fat with olive oil was associated with 8% to 34% lower mortality.

Olive oil is central to Mediterranean eating, but most of the evidence comes from countries where people use a lot of it. This study examined US adults, who on average use far less.

What the study did

Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed two long-running cohorts of health professionals, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Diet was assessed by questionnaire every four years, and participants were followed for 28 years, during which 36,856 deaths occurred.

What it found

Compared with people who never or rarely consumed olive oil, those who consumed more than half a tablespoon a day had:

  • 19% lower risk of death from any cause
  • 19% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  • 17% lower risk of death from cancer
  • 29% lower risk of death from neurodegenerative disease
  • 18% lower risk of death from respiratory disease

In substitution analyses, replacing 10 grams a day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat with olive oil was associated with 8% to 34% lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. Olive oil showed no advantage over other vegetable oils combined.

Keep it in proportion
This is an observational study. People who use olive oil may eat better and be more active in general. The finding about other vegetable oils suggests the benefit comes from replacing animal and hard fats with plant oils.

How to use it

  • Cook with olive oil where you would use butter
  • Dress salads with olive oil and vinegar or lemon
  • Drizzle it on vegetables, beans and whole grains
  • Oil is calorie-dense, so use it in place of other fats

Our guide to foods that lower LDL cholesterol has more swaps.

This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own health.

References

  1. Guasch-Ferré M, Li Y, Willett WC, et al. Consumption of Olive Oil and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among U.S. Adults. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(2):101-112. Source
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Editorial disclosure: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. All treatments at DirectCare AI are prescribed by US-licensed clinicians based on individual medical evaluation. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or quality. Always consult a US-licensed clinician before starting or changing any therapy.

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