Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Diet, Mediterranean”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Atherosclerosis--epidemiological studies on the health effects of a Mediterranean diet.

Mediterranean diets are characterized by olive oil, as the dominant fat source and a high to moderate consumption of fruit and vegetables, cereal products, fish, legumes, in combination with little meat and wine with meals. The "reference" Mediterranean diet seems to differ according to country, but is associated with good health and a long life expectancy. From the Seven Countries Studies, it has been shown that especially the traditional Cretan diet was associated with very low 25-year mortality rates for coronary heart disease, cancer and all-causes. In terms of nutrients and bioactive compounds the "reference" Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fatty acids, high in antioxidants especially vitamin C and E, and high in fiber and folic acid. Several epidemiological studies have investigated these dietary components either separately or in combination in other than Mediterranean populations. In general, also in other populations beneficial effects on the coronary risk profile have been observed, which gives further support to the positive health effects of the Mediterranean diet. Intervention studies in East Finland and Southern Italy have convincingly shown that the coronary risk profile (lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure levels) is improved by a Mediterranean diet. Moreover, the Cretan diet was tested in cardiac patients and showed a 70 % lower cardiac and all-causes mortality compared to the control diet. In conclusion, epidemiological studies and intervention trials suggest that the Cretan Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of coronary heart disease.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2004

Food, youth and the Mediterranean diet in Spain. Development of KIDMED, Mediterranean Diet Quality Index in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate dietary habits in Spanish children and adolescents based on a Mediterranean Diet Quality Index tool, which considers certain principles sustaining and challenging traditional healthy Mediterranean dietary patterns. DESIGN: Observational population-based cross-sectional study. A 16-item Mediterranean Diet Quality Index was included in data gathered for the EnKid study (in which two 24-hour recalls, a quantitative 169-item food-frequency questionnaire and a general questionnaire about socio-economic, demographic and lifestyle items were administered). SETTING: Spain. SUBJECTS: In total, 3850 children and youths aged 2-24 years residing in Spain. RESULTS: Of the sample, 4.2% showed very low KIDMED index results, 49.4% had intermediate values and 46.4% had high index results. Important geographical differences were seen, with subjects from the Northeast showing the most favourable outcomes (52% with elevated scores vs. 37.5% of those from the North). Lower percentages of high diet quality were observed in low socio-economic groups, compared with middle and upper income cohorts (42.8%, 47.6% and 54.9%, respectively). Large cities had more positive results and only slight variations were seen for gender and age. CONCLUSIONS: The KIDMED index, the first to evaluate the adequacy of Mediterranean dietary patterns in children and youth, confirms that this collective is undergoing important changes, which makes them a priority target for nutrition interventions. Results challenge certain commonly perceived notions tied to income level, population size and diet quality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Resting metabolic rate and thermogenic effect of food in vegetarian diets compared with Mediterranean diets.

The purpose of our work is to compare the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and thermogenic effect of food (TEF) in a group of vegetarians and a group of subjects consuming a Mediterranean diet. The composition of the diets was similar. Thirty-two subjects were studied: 16 vegetarians (age 34 +/- 9 years, BMI 21 +/- 2) and 16 omnivors (age 30 +/- 5 years, BMI 22 +/- 3). All were in excellent general health. Each subject consumed a dish of pasta (100 g) and bread (30 g) after RMR had been measured. TEF was measured over the next 3 h and calculated as the incremental area above RMR. Energy (vegetarians and omnivors 7,727 +/- 3,516 vs 8,970 +/- 2,273 kJ/day, respectively) and carbohydrate (vegetarians and omnivors 285.1 +/- 141.3 vs. 300.1 +/- 74 g/day, respectively) intakes of the 2 groups were similar. The vegetarian group consumed a higher quantity of fiber (30.5 +/- 16.7 vs. 16.5 +/- 7.9) and a lower amount of protein (44.9 +/- 18.3 vs. 70.1 +/- 14.9) than the omnivorous group. No significant differences were observed in RMR (4.23 +/- 0.96 vs. 4.06 +/- 0.54 kJ/min) and TEF (0.50 +/- 0.25 vs. 0.38 +/- 0.25 Delta kJ/min) between the groups. Results did not change after correcting for weight, age and gender. Our study failed to show any significant differences in RMR and TEF between vegetarians and subjects consuming a Mediterranean diet. We conclude that vegetarianism per se is not accompanied by a difference in RMR and TEF when the carbohydrate content of the diet is similar to a control group of nonvegetarians.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The antioxidant potential of the Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet not only produces favourable effects on blood lipids but also protects against oxidative stress. Oxidative damage is thought to represent one of the mechanisms leading to chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer. Many studies suggest that a link exists between fruit and vegetables in the diet or the amounts of plasma antioxidant vitamins (ascorbic acid, tocopherol and carotenoids) and risk of death from cancer or coronary heart diseases. Although a large emphasis has been given to different components of the diet, attention has recently shifted to the diet as a whole. The Mediterranean diet is able to modulate oxidative stress through complex mechanisms and not just the high antioxidant compound content. The preference for fresh fruit and vegetables in the Mediterranean diet will result in a higher consumption of raw foods, a lower production of cooking-related oxidants and a consequent decreased waste of nutritional and endogenous antioxidants. The high intake of antioxidant and fibre helps to scavenge even the small amount of oxidants or oxidized compounds.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2001

The role of antioxidants in the Mediterranean diet.

Traditional Mediterranean diets, as opposed to North European and American diets, include a significantly large amount of plant foods; this notable difference between the two eating styles, despite the similarities among other classic risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) such as high plasma cholesterol levels, has been associated with a lower risk of developing the CHD and certain cancers. The involvement of excessive free radical production and the great number of epidemiologic studies linking antioxidant intake with a reduced incidence of the above-mentioned diseases indicate that dietary antioxidants likely play a protective role. Because diets in the Mediterranean are (or better yet, were) characterized by abundant plant foods (fruits, vegetables, breads, nuts, seeds; wine and olive oil), this article includes a review of the potential activities of dietary antioxidants, which are plentiful in Mediterranean diets, and wine as related to human disease.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2004

[Are there any nutritional deficiencies in the Mediterranean Diet?].

The Mediterranean diet has been described as a model from a nutritional and sanitary point of view due to the proportion in which it includes all the food groups. Nevertheless, in the last few years changes in lifestyle have triggered a move away from the recommended intakes in relation to several nutrients. The intake of cereals and vegetables has decreased particularly, while the intake of fats and animal products has increased. The reduced energy expenditure associated with a sedentary lifestyle and the quest for beauty in the form of thinness led to a restricted energy intake. All these changes make it even more difficult to ensure adequate intakes of vitamins and minerals. The Spanish population has problems particularly with vitamins A, D, E, B2, B6 and folic acid, as well as with intake of minerals, which is below recommended values. This problem is most clearly seen in certain groups: women, the elderly, children, gestating and lactating women, ill people, smokers and those under regular medication. Knowing the extent of this reality can be the first step towards the introduction of correcting measures or to initiate campaigns to inform the consumer about the necessary changes in the diet and about the characteristics of the Mediterranean diet which are being lost and should be restored.

Avitaminosis↗
PubMed2003

Beyond the traditional interpretation of Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet is the lucky definition given by Ancel Keys of the food habits of some populations in the Mediterranean area. Dietary styles of this region may widely vary between coasts and inland. The total fat content of diets may vary from less than 30% in the traditional diet of Southern Italy to about 40% in the island of Crete. Carbohydrate and fibre rich foods also vary in terms of energy content, type and amount of sugars. Also protein-rich foods have large variations being mostly of vegetable origin rather than animal. Finally the original description of this diet also brings to mind the extensive physical activity, mainly related to work and outdoor leisure activities that prevailed in these populations until the sixties. Changes toward transition diet, the meaning of functional food and life style changes in the area at present are also discussed.

Diet, Mediterranean↗
PubMed2002

Effect of an Indo-Mediterranean diet on progression of coronary artery disease in high risk patients (Indo-Mediterranean Diet Heart Study): a randomised single-blind trial.

BACKGROUND: The rapid emergence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in south Asian people is not explained by conventional risk factors. In view of cardioprotective effects of a Mediterranean style diet rich in alpha-linolenic acid, we assessed the benefits of this diet for patients at high risk of CAD. METHODS: We did a randomised, single-blind trial in 1000 patients with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, or surrogate risk factors for CAD. 499 patients were allocated to a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, walnuts, and almonds. 501 controls consumed a local diet similar to the step I National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) prudent diet. FINDINGS: The intervention group consumed more fruits, vegetables, legumes, walnuts, and almonds than did controls (573 g [SD 127] vs 231 g [19] per day p<0.001). The intervention group had an increased intake of whole grains and mustard or soy bean oil. The mean intake of alpha-linolenic acid was two-fold greater in the intervention group (1.8 g [SD 0.4] vs 0.8 g [0.2] per day, p<0.001). Total cardiac end points were significantly fewer in the intervention group than the controls (39 vs 76 events, p<0.001). Sudden cardiac deaths were also reduced (6 vs 16, p=0.015), as were non-fatal myocardial infarctions (21 vs 43, p<0.001). We noted a significant reduction in serum cholesterol concentration and other risk factors in both groups, but especially in the intervention diet group. In the treatment group, patients with pre-existing CAD had significantly greater benefits compared with such patients in the control group. INTERPRETATION: An Indo-Mediterranean diet that is rich in alpha-linolenic acid might be more effective in primary and secondary prevention of CAD than the conventional step I NCEP prudent diet.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1995

Health implications of Mediterranean diets in light of contemporary knowledge. 1. Plant foods and dairy products.

Several carefully studied populations in Mediterranean countries and in some areas in Asia where traditional diets consisted largely of foods of plant origin exhibit low rates of many chronic diseases and long life expectancies. Many case-control and prospective studies have provided further evidence that high consumption of plant foods confers numerous health benefits. Investigations support links between increased vegetable, fruit, and fiber consumption, and lower rates of several cancers, coronary heart disease (CHD), neural tube defects, and cataracts. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, carotenoids, folic acid, and fiber, all abundant in the Mediterranean diet, appear to play important roles in prevention of these diseases. In contrast, much evidence suggests that high consumption of full-fat dairy products is likely to increase CHD risk. Epidemiologic studies have not provided evidence that high dairy product consumption by adults prevents fractures; in fact, the results of several studies suggest positive associations. Thus, the abundant fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, and the low to moderate intake of dairy products in traditional Mediterranean diets are likely to have contributed to the low rates of numerous chronic diseases observed in these populations.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed2001

There are many Mediterranean diets.

Interest in Mediterranean diet began 30 years ago, when Ancel Keys published the results of the famous Seven Countries Study, Since 1945, almost 1.3 million people have come to Australia from Mediterranean countries as new settlers. There are 18 countries with coasts on the Mediterranean sea: Spain, southern France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. This study from which this report derives aims to investigate the influence of the food habits of immigrants from Mediterranean countries on Australian food intake. Here we look at the 'traditional' food habits of the above Mediterranean countries as told by 102 people we interviewed in Sydney, who came from 18 Mediterranean countries to Sydney. Most of the informants were women, their age ranged from 35 to 55 years. The interview was open-ended and held in the informant's home. It usually lasted around 1 1/2 hours. The interview had three parts. Personal information was obtained, questions relating to the food habits of these people back in their original Mediterranean countries and how their food intake and habits have changed in Australia were also asked. From the interviews, we have obtained a broad picture of 'traditional' food habits in different Mediterranean countries. The interview data was checked with books of recipes for the different countries. While there were similarities between the countries, there are also important differences in the food habits of the Mediterranean countries. Neighbouring countries' food habits are closer than those on opposite sides of the Mediterranean Sea. We suggest that these food habits can be put into four groups. The data here refer to food habits in Mediterranean countries 20 or 30 years ago, as they were recovering from the Second World War. There is no single ideal Mediterranean diet. Nutritionists who use the concept should qualify the individual country and the time in history of their model Mediterranean diet.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Mediterranean diet: the past and the present.

Mortality statistics from the World Health Organization have provided early evidence that diet in the Mediterranean countries has been affecting the health of the respective populations and, in particular, their coronary health. Keys (1) has taken the lead arguing that the traditional Mediterranean diet has beneficial effects on health. Recent studies, capturing the evidence accumulated over the last three decades, have documented that the traditional Mediterranean diet meets several important criteria for a healthy diet. An attempt to conceptualize the proper diet and to make it able to function has been reported and a score has been developed and evaluated. Studies among the elderly in Greece, Denmark, Australia, Spain and China have shown that the overall Mediterranean dietary pattern was more important for longevity than single nutrients. These findings suggest, therefore, that a Mediterranean diet is associated with longer survival. Two additional questions should be addressed at this time: Is the Mediterranean diet an integral entity, or the sum of identifiable components that can and should be separately considered in the development of guidelines? Is the Mediterranean diet or its major components transferable to populations living far from the Mediterranean area? Answers to these questions would be important for scientific and policy reasons. The dietary patterns that prevail in the Mediterranean area have many common characteristics, most of which stem from the fact that olive oil plays an important role in all of them. Thus, although different regions in the Mediterranean basin have their own diets, it is legitimate to consider them as variants of a single entity, the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet can be described as the dietary pattern found in the olive growing areas of the Mediterranean region, in the late '50s and early '60s, when the consequences of World War II were overcome, but the fast-food culture had not reached the area yet (2). Olive oil is important both because of its several beneficial properties and because it allows the consumption of large quantities of vegetables and legumes in the form of salads and of cooked foods. Other essential components of the Mediterranean diet are wheat, grapes, and their derived products. Total lipid consumption may be high, around 40% of total energy intake as in Greece, or moderate, around 30% of total energy intake as in Italy. In all instances, however, the ratio of monounsaturated to saturated dietary lipids is much higher than in other places of the world, including northern Europe and North America (3).

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed2006

Scientific evidence of interventions using the Mediterranean diet: a systematic review.

The Mediterranean Diet has been associated with greater longevity and quality of life in epidemiological studies, the majority being observational. The application of evidence-based medicine to the area of public health nutrition involves the necessity of developing clinical trials and systematic reviews to develop sound recommendations. The purpose of this study was to analyze and review the experimental studies on Mediterranean diet and disease prevention. A systematic review was made and a total of 43 articles corresponding to 35 different experimental studies were selected. Results were analyzed for the effects of the Mediterranean diet on lipoproteins, endothelial resistance, diabetes and antioxidative capacity, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, cancer, body composition, and psychological function. The Mediterranean diet showed favorable effects on lipoprotein levels, endothelium vasodilatation, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, antioxidant capacity, myocardial and cardiovascular mortality, and cancer incidence in obese patients and in those with previous myocardial infarction. Results disclose the mechanisms of the Mediterranean diet in disease prevention, particularly in cardiovascular disease secondary prevention, but also emphasize the need to undertake experimental research and systematic reviews in the areas of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, infectious diseases, age-related cognitive impairment, and cancer, among others. Interventions should use food scores or patterns to ascertain adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Further experimental research is needed to corroborate the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and the underlying mechanisms, and in this sense the methodology of the ongoing PREDIMED study is explained.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed2005

Comparison between Sardinia and Malta: the Mediterranean diet revisited.

The Mediterranean diet is often characterized in terms of food items only. In this paper, the comparison of meals, in-between meals snack consumption and total daily food intake is presented between Sardinia and Malta in terms of structure, social environment and hours, together with their changes. Data were collected in 2001 in Sardinia and 2002 in Malta. A structured qualitative questionnaire, articulated around four main themes: food supply, transformation, preparation and consumption habits, was administered by face-to-face interviews with the help of a local person. Inquiries were carried out over two generations with 30 'mother-daughter' couples in each island. We highlighted some Mediterranean characteristics in Sardinia by showing striking contrasts between Sardinian and Maltese food habits such as meal preparation times, both breakfast and main meal structures, total daily food intake profiles, mealtimes and commensality in the mothers' generation. Some of these characteristics were also maintained in the daughters' generation. This investigation has presented evidence that beyond foods, meal pattern, structure and commensal rituals appeared as fundamental aspects of Sardo-Mediterranean food habits, which are important to consider when trying to maintain or implement the Mediterranean dietary model.

Adult↗