Health & Fitness
The Mediterranean Diet and Health
A diet rich in fruit, vegetables and olive oil has been shown to drop the risk of cardiovascular disease by 30% in high risk patients.
In a landmark trial from Spain published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, researchers followed outcomes in men (ages 55 to 80) and women (ages 60 to 80) with either diabetes or multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease for 5 years after they were assigned to either low fat or Mediterranean diets. The study, stopped early because of its impressive results, showed a 30 percent reduction in heart attacks, strokes and deaths, has important implications for all of us.
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake of olive oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables and cereals, a moderate intake of fish and poultry, a low intake of dairy products, red meat, processed meats and sweets, and a moderate intake of wine. In this study, one group of patients on the Mediterranean diet was instructed to use 4 tablespoons of olive oil each day; the other group was to take a quarter cup of a mixture of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts daily. Both groups were supposed to take three servings a day of fruit, two servings of vegetables, fish and legumes (beans, peas and lentils) three times weekly. They were encouraged to avoid purchased cookies, cakes and pastries and to limit dairy products, red and processed meats.
Interesting, there was no significant weight loss observed, and most of the patients were already on medications meant to lower their blood pressure, blood sugar or blood cholesterol. Until now, there was a debate about whether the low incidence of heart disease seen in populations follow a Mediterranean diet was related to the diet, or other factors such as genetics, less stress, etc.
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Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation was quoted in the NY Times as saying “Now along comes this group and does a gigantic study in Spain that says you can eat a nicely balanced diet with fruits and vegetables and olive oil and lower heart disease by 30 per cent. And you can actually enjoy life.” It is also important to note that low fat diets did not have the same benefit on health and outcomes.
The message is simple. In planning family menus, you can impact upon the health of those you love. Go Mediterranean!!!
