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Mediterranean Diet
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News & Research:
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MIND
diet linked to better cognitive performance - Science Daily, 9/21/21 -
"the MIND diet is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH
(Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets. Previous research studies have
found that the MIND diet may reduce a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease dementia ... To adhere to and benefit from the MIND diet, a person would
need to eat at least three servings of whole grains, a green leafy vegetable and
one other vegetable every day -- along with a glass of wine -- snack most days
on nuts, have beans every other day or so, eat poultry and berries at least
twice a week and fish at least once a week. A person also must limit intake of
the designated unhealthy foods, limiting butter to less than 1 1/2 teaspoons a
day and eating less than a serving a week of sweets and pastries, whole fat
cheese, and fried or fast food."
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Mediterranean Diet Tied to
Less Severe Erectile Dysfunction - Medscape. 9/7/21
"The men with a higher Mediterranean diet score (> 29) had better erectile
performance (SHIM scores > 14), as well as higher testosterone levels, higher
coronary flow reserve, and less arterial stiffness than the other men"
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Mediterranean Diet Could Keep Aging Brains Sharp - WebMD, 2/25/21 -
"Even after adjusting for childhood IQ and other health
and education factors, the results still showed a significant benefit to the
brain for folks adhering to a Mediterranean diet compared to those who didn't
... The strongest association seen was between the diet and verbal ability.
However, the Mediterranean diet had no effects on the brain's structure as shown
on the MRIs ... We could hypothesize that it has something to do with
inflammation for one, as well as with other nutrients like magnesium or folate
that are found in the leafy greens ... Sandon also acknowledged the important
role healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, appear to
play in keeping the brain and body functioning at their best. These healthy
fats, which are found in high amounts in the Mediterranean diet, help reduce
inflammation in the body ... Some salmon filet that has been grilled might be on
the plate. Maybe some broccoli and brussels sprouts and tomatoes that are
roasted or pan-seared. Maybe some brown rice or quinoa, and there might be olive
oil on the vegetables"
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Mediterranean-style diet linked to better thinking skills in later life -
Science Daily, 2/10/21 - "people who most closely
adhered to a Mediterranean diet had the highest cognitive function scores, even
when accounting for childhood IQ, smoking, physical activity and health factors.
The differences were small but statistically significant ... The individual
components of the diet that appeared to be most strongly associated with better
thinking skills were green leafy vegetables and a lower red meat intake"
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A Half-Tablespoon of Olive Oil a Day May Promote Heart Health - NYT, 3/12/20
- "The scientists used health and diet data on 61,181
women and 31,797 men participating in two health studies beginning in 1990. Over
24 years of follow-up, there were 9,797 cases of cardiovascular disease ...
After adjusting for age, ethnicity, alcohol intake, aspirin use, total energy
intake and many dietary characteristics, they found that compared with people
who used no olive oil, those who consumed at least one-and-a-half teaspoons (a
half tablespoon) a day had a 14 percent lower risk for cardiovascular disease,
and an 18 percent lower risk for coronary heart disease ... the key here is that
people substituted olive oil for unhealthy alternatives like animal fats and
margarine. Other plant oils that contain unsaturated fats — safflower, corn and
soybean, for example, but not palm or coconut oil, which contain saturated fats
— might have the same beneficial effect if substituted for less healthy
alternatives"
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Consuming more olive oil associated with less heart disease in Americans -
AHA, 3/5/20 - "After accounting for diet and lifestyle
factors, researchers found that those who ate more than half a tablespoon per
day of olive oil had a 15% lower risk of having any kind of cardiovascular
disease and a 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease. However, higher
consumption of olive oil did not show an impact on stroke risk ... The
researchers also found that replacing one teaspoon of butter, margarine,
mayonnaise or dairy fat with the same amount of olive oil lowered the risk of
any cardiovascular disease by 5% and lowered the risk of coronary heart disease
by 7%. However, when the study began in 1990, many margarines contained
substantial amounts of trans-fatty acids, so the results may not apply to
vegetable margarines currently available"
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Olive Oil Intake Linked to
Reduced CVD - Medscape, 3/9/20 - "Replacing about 1
teaspoon per day (5 g/day) of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with
an equivalent amount of olive oil was associated with a 5% to 7% lower risk for
total CVD and CHD ... After adjusting for other dietary and lifestyle factors,
those with higher olive oil intake (>½ tablespoon per day or >7 g/day) had a 14%
lower risk for CVD and an 18% lower risk for CHD compared to those who did not
consume olive oil ... given the limitations of the methods," but is "entirely
unconvincing" and provides no basis on which to make any changes to dietary
recommendations ... When you change one thing in diet, you don't expect to see
big changes, so the 5% to 7% lower risk they found is within what's plausible,
but it's also within the limits of error of the method, so it's really neither
here nor there ... the results were similar when olive oil was compared with
other plant oils combined (eg, corn, safflower, soybean, canola) ... As
observational studies go, this is as good as they get, done by one of the best
groups in the world, but it’s still an observational study, and the differences
seen are so small"
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Mediterranean diet ingredient may extend life - Science Daily, 2/21/20 -
"a team of researchers who discovered that olive oil in
the Mediterranean diet may hold the key to improving lifespan and mitigating
aging-related diseases ... According to Mashek, merely consuming olive oil is
not enough to elicit all of the health benefits. His team's studies suggest that
when coupled with fasting, limiting caloric intake and exercising, the effects
of consuming olive oil will be most pronounced ... the way this fat works is it
first has to get stored in microscopic things called lipid droplets, which is
how our cells store fat. And then, when the fat is broken down during exercising
or fasting, for example, is when the signaling and beneficial effects are
realized"
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Can You Eat to Beat Depression? - WebMD, 12/2/19 -
"following a Mediterranean diet full of green vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans,
olive oil, psychiatry, and seafood could ease symptoms of depression. It also
found that people who ate more meat, dairy, and processed foods had a higher
risk of becoming depressed. Of the 26 studies included, only a handful showed no
relation between diet and mental health. And a small randomized controlled
trial, published a few weeks ago, found that college students with symptoms of
depression saw their mood improve in just 3 weeks on a similar diet. That type
of trial is considered the “gold standard” among researchers" - The word
"psychiatry" must be a misprint"
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Diet's
effect on gut bacteria could play role in reducing Alzheimer's risk -
Science Daily, 9/3/19 - "a modified Mediterranean-ketogenic
diet produced changes in the gut microbiome and its metabolites that correlated
with reduced levels of Alzheimer's markers in the members of both study groups"
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Mediterranean diet deters overeating, study finds - Science Daily, 4/23/19 -
"nonhuman primates on a Mediterranean diet chose not to
eat all the food available to them and maintained a normal weight ... By
comparison, the animals on a Western diet ate far more than they needed and
gained weight ... The Wake Forest School of Medicine study was a 38-month
(equivalent to about 9 years for humans) prevention trial. The diets were
formulated to closely reflect human diets with protein and fat derived largely
from animal sources in the Western diet and primarily from plant sources in the
Mediterranean diet. However, the two diets contained comparable proportions of
fat, protein and carbohydrates ... the group on the Mediterranean diet actually
ate fewer calories, had lower body weight and had less body fat than those on
the Western diet ... The Mediterranean diet also protected against non-alcoholic
fatty liver disease, known as NAFLD"
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Mediterranean diet boosts endurance exercise within days, study finds -
Science Daily, 3/6/19 - "participants ran a 5K six
percent faster after eating a Mediterranean diet than after eating a Western
diet. Researchers found no difference between the two diets in performance in
anaerobic exercise tests ... The Mediterranean diet includes whole fruits and
vegetables, nuts, olive oil and whole grains, and avoids red and processed
meats, dairy, trans and saturated fats and refined sugars"
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Mediterranean Diet's
Benefits May Extend to Multiple Diseases - Medscape, 11/7/18 -
"Is it possible, as mentioned above, that the effects
are not due to a specific dietary component, but attributable to a confounding
effect on the gut microflora? Certain clusters of bacterial species within the
gut microenvironment have been correlated with obesity, fatty liver, and
cardiometabolic disease risk.[45] These bacteria produce metabolic products,
such as short-chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids, and trimethylamine, which
may affect the microbial community and risk for disease. The Mediterranean diet
components have a direct favorable impact on the gut microenvironment, providing
substrates to and promoting the colonization of resident bacteria, which in turn
reduce disease risk.[45] For example, Bajaj and colleagues[46] reported that a
Mediterranean diet may prove beneficial in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome,
possibly improving the outcome of patients with cirrhosis. Thus, the gut
microbiome may be the key mediator between these dietary patterns, healthy
outcomes, or disease risk"
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Mediterranean diet prevents a leading cause of blindness, study suggests -
Science Daily, 10/1/18 - "people who adhered to a Mediterranean diet cut their
risk of late-stage AMD by 41 percent ... A Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating
less meat and more fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes, unrefined grains, and
olive oil. Previous research has linked it to a longer lifespan and a reduced
incidence of heart disease and cognitive decline ... For this latest study,
researchers analyzed food-frequency questionnaires from nearly 5,000 people who
participated in two previous investigations -- the Rotterdam Study, which
evaluated disease risk in people age 55 and older, and the Alienor Study, which
assessed the association between eye diseases and nutritional factors in people
aged 73 and older"
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Mediterranean diet is linked to higher muscle mass, bone density after menopause
- Science Daily, 3/18/18 - "This way of eating involves
a high intake of fruits and vegetables, grains, potatoes, olive oil and seeds;
moderately high fish intake; low saturated fat, dairy and red meat consumption;
and regular but moderate drinking of red wine. The Mediterranean diet has been
linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and certain other
chronic diseases ... A higher Mediterranean diet score (MDS), meaning better
adherence to the Mediterranean diet, was significantly associated with higher
bone mineral density measured at the lumbar spine and with greater muscle mass"
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Mediterranean diet may help protect older adults from becoming frail -
Science Daily, 1/11/18 - "a diet emphasizing primarily
plant-based foods -- such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and
nuts -- may help keep people healthy and independent as they age ... People who
followed a Mediterranean diet the most were overall less than half as likely to
become frail over a nearly four-year period compared with those who followed it
the least ... Although older people who followed a Mediterranean diet had a
lower risk of becoming frail, it's unclear whether other characteristics of the
people who followed this diet may have helped to protect them"
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Mediterranean Diet May Cut AMD Risk by More Than a Third - Medscape,
10/19/16 - "Several studies have shown that vitamin A,
vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, antioxidants, and omega-3 help protect against
age-related macular degeneration and have health benefits beyond ophthalmology
... A score of 9 indicated a Mediterranean-style diet, whereas a score of 0
indicated a completely different diet ... The risk for macular degeneration was
35% lower in people with a score below 6 than in those with a score of 6 or
higher (50% vs 39%)"
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Adherence to
the Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with visceral abdominal tissue in
Caucasian subjects - Clin Nutr. 2015 Oct 20 -
"visceral (VAT) ... a 1-unit increase in MEDscore was associated with a -0.118
kg/m2 decrease in BMI (p < 0.01), a -0.292 cm decrease in waist circumference (p
< 0.01), a -0.002 cm:cm decrease in waist to height ratio (p < 0.001), a -1.125
mm decrease in the sum of 4 skinfolds (p < 0.001), and with a -0.045 cm decrease
in VAT (p < 0.05)"
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Seniors who ate more foods tied to the eating plan, especially fish, had bigger
brains, study says - WebMD, 10/21/15 - "eating too
much meat might shrink your brain ... people over 65 who ate more fish,
vegetables, fruit, grains and olive oil had a larger brain volume than a similar
group who didn't follow a Mediterranean diet ... The difference was minor in
overall size -- equated to about five years of aging ... eating more fish and
less meat was associated with even less brain shrinkage ... a higher intake of
fish and vegetables and a lower intake of meat are beneficial for brain cell
growth"
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Fruit
and vegetables aren't only good for a healthy body; they protect your mind too
- Science Daily, 9/16/15 - "Food items such as meat and
sweets (sources of animal fats: saturated and trans fatty acids) were negatively
scored, while nuts, fruits and vegetables (sources of omega-3 fatty acids,
vitamins and minerals respectively) were positively scored ... Questionnaires to
assess dietary intake were completed at the start of the project and again after
10 years ... The Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 was associated with the
greatest reduction of risk of depression but most of the effect could be
explained by its similarity with the Mediterranean Diet"
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Mediterranean diet plus olive oil associated with reduced breast cancer risk
- Science Daily, 9/14/15 = "participants in the two
intervention groups were given EVOO (one liter per week for the participants and
their families) or mixed nuts (30 grams per day: 15 grams of walnuts, 7.5 grams
of hazelnuts and 7.5 grams of almonds) ... women eating a Mediterranean diet
supplemented with EVOO showed a 68 percent (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio
of 0.32) relatively lower risk of malignant breast cancer than those allocated
to the control diet. Women eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts
showed a nonsignificant risk reduction compared with women in the control group"
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Average U.S. Diet May Kill Prostate Cancer Survivors - NBC News, 6/2/15 -
"men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer whose
diet was more 'Westernized,' i.e., contained processed meats, refined grains,
potatoes, and high-fat dairy, were more likely to die of prostate cancer ...
They were more than 2.5 times as likely to die of their prostate cancer than
patients eating the healthiest diet and they were more than one and a half times
as likely to have died of anything over the 10 years"
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Diet That Helps You Live Longer May Keep Your Mind Sound, Too - nbcnews.com,
5/11/15 - "Two groups were assigned to follow the
Mediterranean diet and told to add either five 5 tablespoons of extra virgin
olive oil a day or a handful of mixed nuts. The third group got the low-fat
advice ... The group who ate the extra nuts did better in terms of memory and
the group given extra virgin olive oil performed better on tests that required
quick thinking ... Just over 13 percent of those who got extra olive oil were
diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, which may or may not lead to
Alzheimer's disease. Just 7 percent of those who got nuts were diagnosed with
mild cognitive impairment, while around 13 percent of those who got neither
developed memory loss ... But many of the patients actually saw their memories
get better over the four years. On average, those in the low-fat-only group lost
some memory and thinking skills, but those who got extra nuts had their memory
skills improve on average, while those who got olive oil had improvements in
problem-solving and planning skills" - [Abstract]
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Mediterranean Diet Linked
to Larger Brain Volume - Medscape, 4/28/15 -
"Participants who adhered more to a MeDI had larger brain volumes both in gray
matter and white matter, said Dr Gu. She also noted that each additional higher
MeDi adherence and total brain volume is equivalent to more than 1 year of aging
(β for age = 2.5; P < .001) ... Dr Gu noted that most of the association was
driven by higher intake of fish and lower intake of meat. Potential mechanisms,
she said, include anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidative effects, as well as
potential slowing of the accumulation of β-amyloid or tau"
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Mediterranean Diet Improves
Cognition - Medscape, 1/8/14 - "extra-virgin olive
oil (EVOO) ... In conclusion, an intervention with MedDiet supplemented with
either EVOO or mixed nuts was associated with a better global cognitive
performance after 6.5 years of follow-up compared with a control group who
received advice on a lower-fat diet. Our findings support increasing evidence on
the protective effects of the MedDiet on cognitive function" - See
olive leaf extract at Amazon.com
 .
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Mediterranean Diet Cuts
Type 2 Diabetes Risk by a Third - Medscape, 1/6/14 -
"The Mediterranean diet is high in fat (30% to 40%
of total calories) from vegetable sources such as olive oil and nuts and
relatively low in dairy products. The diet also commonly includes sauces
with tomato, onions, garlic, and spices and moderate wine consumption ...
enrolled 7447 men and women aged 55 to 80 years who did not have CVD at
baseline but were at risk for it. They were randomized to 1 of 3 diets: a
Mediterranean diet supplemented with either EVOO (50 mL/d) or mixed nuts (30
g/d) or a control diet with advice to reduce intake of all types of fat ...
both Mediterranean diets cut the CVD event risk by as much as 30% compared
with the controls at 4.8 years of follow-up ... CVD effects of the
Mediterranean diet are believed to be due to its inclusion of ingredients
containing various minerals, polyphenols, and other phytochemicals that
combat oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance ... It's not
clear why the Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts failed to show
a significant diabetes reduction benefit ... Another reason may be that the
foods that one eats with olive oil are better for preventing diabetes than
those one eats with nuts. Or the higher monounsaturated-fat intake of the
EVOO is more important than the polyunsaturated fatty acids from the nuts"
- Note: Nuts have about four times as much omega-6 as omega-3.
Olive oil is mostly omega-9.
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Mediterranean Diet Good
for Chronic Kidney Disease - Medscape, 5/21/13 -
"followed 1110 Swedish men (mean age, 70 years), 506 of whom had a
glomerular filtration rate below 60 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ... Median follow-up
was 9.9 years ... High adherents were 42% less likely to have kidney disease
than low adherents ... high adherence was independently associated with a
mortality risk that was 18% lower for every 2-point increase in
Mediterranean Diet Score. For subjects with adequate dietary intake, the
associations were stronger"
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Mediterranean diet seems to boost aging brain power - Science Daily,
5/21/13 - "Participants, who were all taking part in
the PREDIMED trial looking at how best to ward off cardiovascular disease,
were randomly allocated to a Mediterranean diet with added olive oil or
mixed nuts or a control group receiving advice to follow the low-fat diet
typically recommended to prevent heart attack and stroke ... After an
average of 6.5 years, they were tested for signs of cognitive decline using
a Mini Mental State Exam and a clock drawing test ... The average scores on
both tests were significantly higher for those following either of the
Mediterranean diets compared with those on the low fat option"
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Mediterranean Diet Might Help Stave Off Dementia - WebMD, 4/29/13 -
"Eating fish, chicken, olive oil and other foods
rich in omega-3 fatty acids while staying away from meats and dairy -- the
so-called Mediterranean diet -- may help older adults keep their memory and
thinking skills sharp ... those who followed the Mediterranean diet were 19
percent less likely to develop thinking and memory problems"
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Mediterranean Diet Fights Heart Disease, Study Finds - ABC News, 2/25/13
- "the researchers randomly assigned 7,447 people,
ages 55 to 80, to one of three diets -- a Mediterranean diet with additional
extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts,
or a control diet, which consisted essentially of advice to reduce dietary
fat ... The olive-oil diet led to a 28 percent reduction in risk, compared
with the control diet. The mixed nut diet led to a similar risk reduction"
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Mediterranean Diet May Protect Brain - WebMD, 2/13/12 -
"white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) ... WMHV
is an indicator of small blood vessel damage in the brain and is detected by
magnetic resonance screening (MRI) ... researchers compared the brain scans
and diets of 966 adults with an average age of 72 ... those who most closely
followed a Mediterranean diet had a lower measure of WMHV than those who did
not. Each increase in the Mediterranean diet score was associated with a
corresponding decrease in white matter hyperintensity volume score ... the
aspect of the Mediterranean diet that seemed to matter most was the ratio of
monounsaturated fat to saturated fat"
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Mediterranean diet gives longer life, Swedish study suggests - Science
Daily, 12/20/11 - "A Mediterranean diet with large
amounts of vegetables and fish gives a longer life. This is the unanimous
result of four studies to be published by the Sahlgrenska Academy ... The
results show that those who eat a Mediterranean diet have a 20% higher
chance of living longer"
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Mediterranean
Diet Adherence in Relation to ACS and Stroke - Medscape, 11/15/11 -
"Since the Seven Countries Study[5] in the 1970s and
the randomized clinical trial Lyon Heart Study[25] in the 1990s, many
studies have supported the beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet on
the development of CVD and, particularly, CHD.[6] The CARDIO2000 study, a
case-control study with 848 patients with ACS and 1,078 age- and sex-matched
control subjects, showed that a 10-unit increase of the MedDietScore was
associated with a roughly 30% lower likelihood of having an ACS.[26]
Trichopoulou et al[27] showed that adherence to the Mediterranean dietary
pattern was associated with a 33% (95% CI 0.47–0.94) lower mortality from
CHD. In addition, recent results of the large-scale, multinational
INTERHEART study, including 27,098 participants from 52 countries,
highlighted the important role of unhealthy dietary habits as a risk factor
for myocardial infarction. Most importantly, the population attributable
risk of an unhealthy diet was approximately 27% in men and 26% in women;[28]
suggesting that most CHD evens could have been avoided by adopting a
healthier dietary pattern. In the present work, the estimated attributable
risk for the lowest tertile of adherence to the Mediterranean pattern was
40% for ACS ... Despite the plethora of studies as regards Mediterranean
diet and CHD, few studies have examined the role of the diet on the
development of stroke. The Nurses' Health Study, a prospective cohort study
of 74,886 female participants, showed that adherence to this pattern exerts
a protective effect regarding the development of stroke (relative risk of
highest compared with lowest quintile: 0.87, 95% CI 0.73–1.02).[13]
Furthermore, a recent case-control study of only 48 patients with stroke and
47 age- and sex-matched controls reported that adherence to the
Mediterranean diet was associated with a 91% lower likelihood of ischemic
stroke (95% CI 0.02–0.40).[14] In addition, results of the INTERSTROKE
case-control study suggested that unhealthy dietary habits were associated
with a 34% higher likelihood of ischemic stroke (95% CI 1.09–1.65, highest
vs lowest tertile), whereas the population attributable risk was 17.3% (95%
CI 9.4–29.6).[29] In the present work, similar to the 2 aforementioned
studies, it was observed that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet
was associated with a lower likelihood of having an ischemic stroke event,
whereas the estimated attributable risk for the lowest tertile of adherence
to the Mediterranean pattern was 37% ... It is widely known that oxidative
stress and chronic inflammation play a crucial role for the development of
atherosclerosis, influencing endothelial and vascular function. Not
surprisingly, the protective role of the Mediterranean dietary pattern
regarding CVD has been mainly attributed to the antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties of this pattern. The basic components of this
diet—olive oil, red wine, fruits and vegetables, and fish—are foods rich in
vitamins, antioxidants, polyphenols, phytochemicals, and omega-3 fatty
acids. Results of epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have shown that
subjects following closer the Mediterranean diet had a higher total
antioxidant capacity[11] and lower inflammatory and coagulation markers:
C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, homocysteine, white blood cell, and
fibrinogen levels.[12, 30] Furthermore, latest studies have shown the
beneficial role of this diet on endothelial function.[30] In particular,
adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been associated not only with a
reduction in endothelial damage and dysfunction but also with improvement in
the degenerative activity of the endothelium"
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Fatty Acids and
Cognitive Decline in Women - Medscape, 6/13/11 -
"In this cohort of older women, greater MUFA intake was associated with less
cognitive decline over a 3-year period. Previous studies generally but not
invariably support this association. One previous prospective study found
greater dietary MUFA intake to be associated with less cognitive
decline,[10] a second found a trend in the same direction,[9] a third found
a trend in the same direction in restricted analyses,[6] and three others
were null.[7,8,11] None of the null studies had multiple measures of diet;
one assessed diet using a measure of fatty acid composition of erythrocyte
membranes,[7] but that study assessed cognitive decline exclusively using
the Mini-Mental State Examination, which is probably not as sensitive as the
neuropsychological test battery used in this study ... MUFA is thought to be
one of the major protective components of the traditional Mediterranean
diet, in which it is derived primarily from olive oil (median 46 g/d).[10]
Two recent prospective studies of the Mediterranean diet have found greater
adherence to be associated with less cognitive decline and lower incidence
of Alzheimer's disease (AD).[31,32] One of these studies found an effect of
the Mediterranean diet on an individual cognitive domain, namely memory.[31]
This finding is consistent with the observed protective effect of MUFA on
memory in the WHI CCW. In addition, the current study found an association
between MUFA and less decline in visual–spatial abilities (copying and
matching), a finding not previously made to the knowledge of the authors of
the current study. Decline in visuospatial function has been associated with
driving errors in older adults[33] and has also been suggested as a
potential predictor (along with amnestic impairment) of transition from mild
cognitive impairment to AD ... Several pathways may explain the apparent
relationship between MUFA intake and cognitive function. MUFA and MUFA
derivatives have antiinflammatory effects in vivo,[35,36] which may be
important because chronic inflammation appears to be a precursor of
symptomatic AD.[37–39] Oxidative stress has also been demonstrated in
patients with mild cognitive impairment and AD,[40] and derivatives from
MUFA, including low-molecular-weight phenols, have been found to have
antioxidant effects.[41] MUFA may also exert their potentially beneficial
effects on cognition indirectly by decreasing cardiovascular risk by
reducing macrophage uptake of plasma oxidized low-density lipoprotein,
apolipoprotein B, and f triglycerides" -
Click here for my olive oil mayonnaise recipe.
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Mediterranean diet: Alarmingly high cardiovascular risk factors found in
Mediterranean people - Science Daily, 1/10/11 -
"The myth that the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle is so healthy is based
on 40-year old data from rural areas and so much has changed during those
four decades"
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Science strengthens for olive extract’s bone benefits - Nutra USA,
9/14/10 -
“Our data suggest that oleuropein, highly abundant in
olive tree products included in the traditional Mediterranean diet, could
prevent age-related bone loss and osteoporosis" - [Abstract]
- See
olive leaf extract at Amazon.com.
-
Virgin olive oil and a Mediterranean diet fight heart disease by changing
how our genes function - Science Daily, 6/30/10 -
"The first group consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet with virgin olive
oil rich in polyphenols. The second group consumed a traditional
Mediterranean diet with an olive oil low in polyphenols. The third group
followed their habitual diet. After three months, the first group had a
down-regulation in the expression of atherosclerosis-related genes in their
peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Additionally, the olive oil polyphenols
made a significant impact on the expression of genetic changes influencing
coronary heart disease. Results also showed that the consumption of virgin
olive oil in conjunction with a Mediterranean diet can positively impact
lipid and DNA oxidation, insulin resistance, inflammation, carcinogenesis,
and tumor suppression ... olive oil and a Mediterranean diet affect our
bodies in a far more significant way than previously believed" - See
olive leaf extract at Amazon.com.
-
Mediterranean-style diet improves heart function, twin study shows -
Science Daily, 6/15/10 - "heart rate variability
(HRV) ... Eating a Mediterranean-style diet -- one characterized by low
saturated fats and high in fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, olive
oil, cereals and moderate alcohol consumption -- reduces a person's heart
disease risk ... the higher a person's diet score, the more variable the
heart beat-to-beat time interval -- 10 percent to 58 percent (depending on
the HRV measure considered) for men in the top Mediterranean diet score
quarter compared to those in the lowest quarter; this equates to a 9 percent
to 14 percent reduction in heart-related death"
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Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking
problems - Science Daily, 2/8/10
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Mediterranean Diet
Linked to Lower Risk for Stomach Cancer - Medscape, 12/29/09 -
"For every 1-unit increase in relative Mediterranean
diet score, the risk for gastric adenocarcinoma decreased by 5% to 7%"
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Mediterranean Diet May Fight Depression - WebMD, 10/5/09
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Mediterranean Diet May Boost Eye Health - WebMD, 5/11/09 -
"people who ate one serving of fish per week had a
31% lower risk of early signs of AMD. Those who ate one to two servings of
nuts rich in omega-3 fatty acids had a 35% lower risk"
- See
Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com
and
Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
-
Mediterranean diet may lower blood pressure: Study - Nutra USA, 5/11/09
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Mediterranean Diet May Preserve Memory - WebMD, 2/9/09 -
"The Mediterranean diet consists of larger doses of
fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals, and unsaturated fatty acids; low
amounts of dairy products, meat, and saturated fats; and a moderate amount
of alcohol ... average 4.5 year follow-up period. Those in the top one-third
of Mediterranean diet scores had a 28% lower risk (compared to those in the
bottom third) of developing a cognitive impairment"
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Mediterranean Diet Reduces Long-term Risk Of Subsequent Weight Gain And
Obesity Among Adults - Science Daily, 1/22/09 -
"increased fruit and vegetable intake was associated with significantly
lower risk of a medium WG (3,41 kg) over 10 years among adults of a Spanish
Mediterranean population. Dietary strategies to increase fruit and vegetable
intake to prevent and control overweight and obesity should be promoted more
vigorously"
-
Metabolic Syndrome? Nuts! - WebMD, 12/8/08 - "A
group that was given personalized advice on the Mediterranean diet and about
2 tablespoons of mixed nuts (1/2 walnuts, 1/4 almonds, and 1/4 hazelnuts)
each day ... A year later, nobody lost weight. And about the same number of
people developed newly diagnosed metabolic syndrome in each group ... But
among patients who already had metabolic syndrome, those in the nut group
were 70% more likely to have reversal of metabolic syndrome than those in
the control group"
-
Accolades for Mediterranean Diet - WebMD, 9/11/08 -
"people who followed a strict Mediterranean diet
were: ... 9% less likely to die from heart disease or other cardiovascular
problems ... 6% less likely to develop cancer or die from it ... 13% less
likely to have Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease"
-
Ornish: Why
Atkins Still Doesn't Beat Low-Fat Diet - Newsweek, 7/16/08 -
"A new study comparing the Atkins diet, a
Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet published on July 17 in The New
England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), is likely to inspire headlines saying
that the Atkins diet is better for your waistline and your health than a
low-fat diet ... I believe this study is extremely flawed. Here's why: ...
funded in part by the Atkins Foundation ... quality of data in this study
..."
-
The
Traditional Mediterranean Diet Protects Against Diabetes, Study Suggests
- Science Daily, 5/30/08 - "A high adherence to the
diet was associated with an 83% relative reduction in the risk of developing
diabetes"
-
Med diet linked to longer life - study - Nutra USA, 12/12/07 -
"greater adherence to a Med-style diet reduced the
risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer by 22 and 17 per
cent in men, and 12 per cent for women ... so-called all-cause mortality
(death from all causes) was reduced by 21 per cent among men and 20 per cent
among women with the greatest adherence ... The Mediterranean diet also
includes other important dietary constituents such as fiber and a low
omega-6:omega-3 fatty acid ratio, both of which potentially prevent cancer
initiation and progression" - [Abstract]
-
Mediterranean Diet May Help Alzheimer's Patients Live Longer - Science
Daily, 9/10/07 - "Alzheimer's patients who adhered
to the diet to a moderate degree lived an average 1.3 years longer than
those people who least adhered to the diet. And those Alzheimer's patients
who followed the diet very religiously lived an average four years longer"
-
Mediterranean Diet Halves Risk Of Progressive Lung Disease - Science
Daily, 5/15/07
-
Diet May Influence Alzheimer's Risk - WebMD, 10/9/06 -
"Long suspected of lowering the risk of heart
disease and diabetes, the Mediterranean diet consists of large amounts of
fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, and nuts. Red meats are eaten only rarely
and poultry, eggs, and dairy products are eaten in moderation. Olive oil and
fatty fish are the main sources of fat in the diet ... People who most
closely adhered to the diet had an Alzheimer's risk that was 40% to 65%
lower than people who were least likely to follow the diet"
-
Erectile Function in Subjects With the Metabolic Syndrome - Medscape,
7/19/06 - "consumption of a Mediterranean-style diet
in men with the metabolic syndrome and ED at baseline produced significant
improvement of erectile and endothelial functions, together with a
significant reduction of systemic vascular inflammation, as indicated by the
reduced levels of CRP"
-
Mediterranean
Beats Low-Fat Diet - WebMD, 6/5/06 -
"Compared with the low-fat group, the two
Mediterranean diet groups had bigger improvements in blood pressure, insulin
resistance (a problem which accompanies or precedes type 2 diabetes),
markers of inflammation, and levels of cholesterol and other lipids (blood
fats)"
-
Mediterranean Diet May Cut Alzheimer's - WebMD, 4/18/06 -
"Scores ranged from 0-9, with higher scores showing
greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet ... those with middle scores were
15% less likely to have been found to have developed Alzheimer's disease,
and those with the highest scores were 40% less likely to have been found to
have Alzheimer's disease"
-
Olive oil—key to Mediterranean diet's benefits - MSNBC, 3/10/06
-
Tufts Expert Examines The Cardiovascular Benefits Of A Mediterranean-style
Diet - Science Daily, 2/7/06
-
The Disease-Preventive Power of the Mediterranean Diet
- Life Extension Magazine, 7/05
-
Mediterranean Diet Linked to Longer Life - WebMD, 4/7/05 -
"a healthy man of 60 who follows the diet, which is
rich in fruits and vegetables and low in meat and dairy, can expect to live
a year longer than a man of the same age who doesn't follow the diet ... The
Mediterranean diet was nearly vegetarian, with fish and very little meat,
and was rich in green vegetables"
- Mediterranean
Diet Helps Lower Death Rates - WebMD, 12/9/04 -
"those seniors adhering to the Mediterranean diet
had a 23% lower risk of death from all causes ... seniors who exercised at
least 30 minutes every day lowered their risk of death by 37%. Nonsmoking
seniors reduced their risk by 35%. Seniors who drank alcohol moderately
reduced their risk by 22% ... a senior who adhered to all of these lifestyle
changes reduced his risk of death by 65%"
- More good news about the
Mediterranean diet - MSNBC, 10/29/04 -
"people who ate a mostly Mediterranean diet,
exercised moderately, drank little to moderate amounts of alcohol, and
didn’t smoke had 65 percent fewer deaths than those who followed none or
only one of these healthy habits"
- Is the Mediterranean
Diet Really Healthier? - Dr. Weil, 10/8/04
-
Mediterranean Diet May Be Effective in Reducing Metabolic Syndrome and
Associated Symptoms - Doctor's Guide, 9/22/04 -
"after 2 years, patients in the Mediterranean diet
intervention group had significant decreases in body weight, blood pressure,
levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, and triglycerides and a
significant increase in levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ...
Serum concentrations of interleukins 6 (IL-6), 7 (IL-7), and 18 (IL-18) and
high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were significantly reduced in
patients in the intervention group"
- Mediterranean Diet
Improves Survival in Elderly - Medscape, 9/21/04 -
"Among 70- to 90-year-olds, adherence to a
Mediterranean diet and healthful lifestyle is associated with a more than
50% lower rate of all-cause and cause-specific mortality"
- A Lifestyle
Blueprint for Long Life - WebMD, 9/21/04
- Is It Better to Eat
Like the French? - Dr. Weil, 8/3/04
- Mediterranean
Diet Fights Heart Disease - WebMD, 11/11/03
- Mediterranean Diet
Lowers C-reactive Protein Levels - Medscape, 11/11/03 -
"For each 10-point increase in diet score, there was
a corresponding 0.22 mg/dL reduction in
C-reactive protein levels, a 0.21 pg/ml reduction in
interleukin-6, a 12.5 mg/dL decrease in fibrinogen, and a 0.87 mmol/L
decrease in homocysteine levels (P < .05),
he said. Also, white blood cell count decreased significantly"
-
Mediterranean Diet Independently Lowers Cardiovascular Disease Risk -
Doctor's Guide, 11/10/03
-
Mediterranean diet evidence - jr2.ox.ac.uk. 8/03
- Mediterranean diet
'extends life' - bbc.co.uk. 8/24/03 -
"The[y] found that quercetin, which is abundant in
olive oil, has a similar effect"
- Mastering the
Mediterranean Diet? - Dr. Weil, 8/14/03
-
Add 1 lb. of veggies, olive oil - USA Today, 6/25/03 -
"participants were rated on a scale of 0 to 9, based
on how closely they stuck to the traditional Mediterranean diet. The higher
the score, the better the adherence ... A two-point increase in the
adherence score was associated with a 25% reduced risk of death from all
causes, a 33% reduced risk of death from heart disease and a 24% reduced
risk of death from cancer ... People in Greece eat about a pound of
vegetables a day, mostly cooked ... Salads are served with fish, and
vegetables like zucchini and spinach are boiled and seasoned with lemon and
olive oil"
- Mediterranean
Diet: More Than Olive Oil - WebMD, 6/25/03 -
"In addition to having olive oil with most meals,
the typical Mediterranean diet is very high in vegetables, fruits, legumes,
nuts, and cereals; moderate in fish intake; and has lower amounts of meat
and dairy than the typical American diet. Drinking alcohol is also a
frequently practiced dining ritual"
- Mediterranean Diet Cuts
Risk Of Cancer In Half - Doctor's Guide, 6/16/98
Abstracts:
-
Adherence to the
Mediterranean-style diet and high intake of total carotenoids reduces the odds
of frailty over 11 years in older adults: Results from the Framingham Offspring
Study - Am J Clin Nutr 2022 May 12 - "Our findings
suggest that adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet and higher total carotenoid
intake is associated with frailty prevention over time, particularly in adults
<60y" - See mixed carotenoids at Amazon.com.
-
Long-term
consumption of a mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet on kidney
function in coronary heart disease patients: The CORDIOPREV
randomized controlled trial - Clin Nutr 2022 Jan 6 -
"The long-term consumption of a
Mediterranean diet rich in EVOO, when compared to a low-fat
diet, may preserve kidney function, as shown by a reduced
decline in eGFR in CHD patients with T2DM. Patients with
mildly-impaired eGFR may benefit more from the beneficial effect
of the consumption of the Mediterranean diet in preserving
kidney function. These findings reinforce the clinical benefits
of the Mediterranean diet in the context of secondary
cardiovascular disease prevention" - See
olive leaf extract at Amazon.com but it
could be the omega-9 or both.
-
Mediterranean diet and
antihypertensive drug use: a randomized controlled trial - J Hypertens 2021
Jan 25 - "Participants allocated to Mediterranean diet
interventions were associated with lower risk of initiating antihypertensive
therapy [5-year incidence rates: 47.1% in the control diet, 43.0% in MedDiets;
hazard ratio = 0.84, 95% CI (0.74--0.97), in a model adjusted for age, sex, and
recruitment site]. Volunteers using two drugs at baseline in the Mediterranean
diet intervention enriched with extra-virgin olive oil decreased their risk of
therapy escalation [5-year incidence rates: 22.9% in the control diet, 20.1% in
the MedDiet; hazard ratio = 0.77, 95% CI (0.60--0.99)]. Allocation to
Mediterranean diet interventions attenuated the association between
antihypertensive therapy at baseline and incidence of major adverse
cardiovascular events"
-
Effectiveness of
Mediterranean Diet Implementation in Dry Eye Parameters: A Study of
PREDIMED-PLUS Trial - Nutrients. 2020 May 1 - "The
purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a Mediterranean diet
supplemented with extra virgin olive oil and nuts on dry eye parameters. The
participants in this study were randomized into one of the two interventional
arms: (1) a standard intervention group, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with
extra virgin olive oil and nuts; and (2) an intensive intervention group, based
on a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and an intensive lifestyle program with
physical activity and weight-loss goals. In both groups, common dry eye tests
were conducted at baseline and after six months: the Ocular Surface Disease
Index (OSDI), the Dry Eye Scoring System (DESS), tear break-up time (TBUT), the
Schirmer's test, and the Oxford staining grade. Sixty-seven eyes were examined.
After six months, dry eye parameters improved in both groups; differences
between groups were favorable for the intensive intervention group. The
implementation of a Mediterranean diet pattern was beneficial for the selected
patients with dry eye, and could be beneficial for patients with dry eye in
general. Behavioral support for diet adherence and the promotion of healthy
lifestyles (exercise) and weight loss (calorie restriction) have an added
positive effect"
-
Olive Oil Consumption and
Cardiovascular Risk in U.S. Adults - J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 Feb 27 -
"We included 61,181 women from the Nurses' Health Study
(1990-2014) and 31,797 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study
(1990-2014) who were free of cancer, heart disease, and stroke at baseline. Diet
was assessed using food frequency questionnaires at baseline and then every 4
years ... Higher olive oil intake was associated with lower risk of CHD and
total CVD in two large prospective cohorts of U.S. men and women. The
substitution of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with olive oil
could lead to lower risk of CHD and CVD"
-
Mediterranean-Style Diet
Improves Systolic Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults -
Hypertension. 2019 Jan 14 - "The intervention group received individually
tailored standardized dietary advice and commercially available foods to
increase adherence to a Mediterranean diet. The control group continued on their
habitual diet and was provided with current national dietary guidance. In the
1142 participants who completed the trial (88.2%), after 1 year the intervention
resulted in a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (-5.5 mm Hg; 95%
CI, -10.7 to -0.4; P=0.03), which was evident in males (-9.2 mm Hg, P=0.02) but
not females (-3.1 mm Hg, P=0.37). The -1.7 mm Hg (95% CI, -4.3 to 0.9) decrease
in diastolic pressure after intervention did not reach statistical significance.
In a subset (n=225), augmentation index, a measure of arterial stiffness, was
improved following intervention (-12.4; 95% CI, -24.4 to -0.5; P=0.04) with no
change in pulse wave velocity"
-
Western Dietary Pattern,
But not Mediterranean Dietary Pattern, Increases the Risk of Prostate Cancer
- Nutr Cancer. 2018 Sep 20:1-9 - "Two major dietary patterns were identified:
Western dietary (WD) pattern and Mediterranean dietary (MD) pattern. After
adjusting for potential confounders, men who had higher scores for WD pattern
(above the median) were more likely to have prostate cancer (OR = 5.15; 95% CI
(1.44-18.47); P = 0.01) compared with men who had lower scores. A nonsignificant
inverse association was found for MD pattern (OR = 0.62"
-
Erectile
Dysfunction and cardiovascular risk factors in a Mediterranean diet cohort -
Intern Med J. 2015 Oct 20 - "ED presence and severity
were associated with age, obesity, waist circumference, hypertension,
antihypertensive treatment and ischemic disease. Patients with ED were more
frequently smokers, sedentary and consumed more alcohol. In multivariate
analysis, consumption of nuts (> twice a week) (OR 0.41 [95% CI 0.25 to 0.67]
and vegetables (≥ once a day) (OR 0.47 [95% CI 0.28 - 0,77]), were inversely
related to ED. Obesity (as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 ) (OR 2.49 [95% CI 1.48 -4.17]),
ischemic disease (OR 2.30 [95% CI 1.22 to 4.33], alcohol consumption
(alcohol-units a day) (OR 1.14 [95% CI 1.04 to 1.26], and age (year) (OR = 1.07
[95% CI 1.04-1.10] were directly related to ED"
-
Glycemic
load and coronary heart disease in a Mediterranean population: The EPIC Greek
cohort study - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2014 Dec 11 -
"High adherence to MD with low/moderate GL was
associated with lower risk of CHD incidence (HR = 0.61, CI: 0.39-0.95) and
mortality (HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.23-96)"
-
Mediterranean Diet and Red Yeast Rice Supplementation for the Management of
Hyperlipidemia in Statin-Intolerant Patients with or without Type 2 Diabetes
- Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:743473 -
"for 24 weeks ... We studied 171 patients: 46 type 2 diabetic patients treated
with MD alone (Group 1), 44 type 2 diabetic patients treated with MD associated
with RYR (Group 2), 38 dyslipidemic patients treated with MD alone (Group 3),
and 43 dyslipidemic patients treated with MD plus RYR (Group 4). The mean
percentage changes in LDL cholesterol from the baseline were -7.34 ± 3.14% (P <
0.05) for Group 1; -21.02 ± 1.63% (P < 0.001) for Group 2; -12.47 ± 1.75% (P <
0.001) for Group 3; and -22 ± 2.19% (P < 0.001) for Group 4 with significant
intergroup difference (Group 1 versus Group 2, P < 0.001; Group 3 versus Group
4, P > 0.05). No significant increase in AST, ALT, and CPK levels was observed
in all groups. Our results indicate that MD alone is effective in reducing LDL
cholesterol levels in statin-intolerant patients with a presumably low
cardiovascular risk, but associating MD with the administration of RYR improves
patients' LDL cholesterol levels more, and in patients with type 2 diabetes"
- See
red yeast rice at Amazon.com.
| type 2 diabetic patients treated with MD alone (Group 1) |
-7.34 |
| type 2 diabetic patients treated with MD
associated with RYR (Group 2) |
-21.02 |
| dyslipidemic patients treated with MD alone (Group 3) |
-12.47 |
| dyslipidemic patients treated with MD plus RYR (Group 4) |
-22.00 |
-
Index-based
dietary patterns and risk of head and neck cancer in a large prospective study
- Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jan 8 - "We prospectively
evaluated the association between 2 index-based dietary patterns [ie, the
Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) and alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (aMED)]
and risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ... included 494,967
participants from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health study (1995-2006) ... Higher
HEI-2005 scores were associated with reduced risk of HNC in men [HR: 0.74 (95%
CI: 0.61, 0.89) for highest compared with lowest quintiles ... High aMED scores
were also associated with lower HNC risk in men (HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.64, 1.01;
P-trend = 0.002) and women (HR: 0.42"
-
Cognition
and nutrition - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2014 Jan;17(1):1-4 -
"An increasing body of evidence has supported the role
of the Mediterranean diet and extra-virgin olive oil in protecting cognition. A
number of nutritional formulations to improve deteriorating memory are being
studied. Undernutrition is associated with cognitive decline. Hyperglycemia and
hypertriglyceridemia cause cognitive impairment"
-
Prospective
study of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension- and Mediterranean-style
dietary patterns and age-related cognitive change: the Cache County Study on
Memory, Health and Aging - Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Sep 18 -
"Participants included 3831 men and women ≥65 y of age
who were residents of Cache County, UT, in 1995 ... Higher levels of accordance
to both the DASH and Mediterranean dietary patterns were associated with
consistently higher levels of cognitive function in elderly men and women over
an 11-y period. Whole grains and nuts and legumes were positively associated
with higher cognitive functions and may be core neuroprotective foods common to
various healthy plant-centered diets around the globe"
-
Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Individuals with Prediabetes and Unknown
Diabetes: The Di@bet.es Study - Ann Nutr Metab. 2013 Jul 2;62(4):339-346 -
"We investigated MedDiet adherence in individuals with
prediabetes and unknown (PREDM/UKDM) or known diabetes (KDM) compared to those
with normal glucose metabolism (NORMAL) ... qualitative food frequency
questionnaire ... Higher age-adjusted adherence to MedDiet (5-unit increment in
the MedScore) was associated with lower and nondifferent odds (OR, 95% CI) of
prevalent PREDM/UKDM (0.88, 0.81-0.96, p = 0.001) and KDM (0.97, 0.87-1.07, p =
0.279), respectively, compared to individuals in the NORMAL group ... reverse
causation bias cannot be ruled out in cross-sectional studies"
-
The
Mediterranean diet in relation to mortality and CVD: a Danish cohort study -
Br J Nutr. 2013 Jul 3:1-9 - "Analyses were performed on
1849 men and women sampled during the 1982-83 Danish MONICA (MONItoring trends
and determinants of Cardiovascular disease) population study, whose diet was
assessed by means of a validated 7 d food record ... the MDS was inversely
associated with total mortality and with cardiovascular and MI incidence and
mortality, but not with stroke incidence or mortality"
-
Mediterranean Diet and Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults over Time - J
Nutr Health Aging. 2013;17(5):441-5 -
"Community-dwelling participants (n=3502) of the Chicago Health and Aging
Project aged 65+ years (59% African American) who had no evidence of depression
at the baseline ... Our results support the hypothesis that adherence to a diet
comprised of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and legumes may protect
against the development of depressive symptoms in older age"
-
Mediterranean diet and CHD: the Greek European Prospective Investigation into
Cancer and Nutrition cohort - Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108(4):699-709 -
"In a general population sample of 23 929 adult men and
women with no CVD or cancer at enrolment, a validated FFQ was
interviewer-administered, sociodemographic, physical activity and other
characteristics were recorded, and arterial blood pressure and anthropometric
characteristics were measured. In a median period of 10 years, 636 incident CHD
cases and 240 CHD deaths were recorded. Associations of adherence to the MD,
operationalised through a nine-component score (0, poor; 9, excellent), with CHD
incidence and mortality were evaluated through Cox regression controlling for
potentially confounding variables. A two-point increase in the MD score was
associated with lower CHD mortality by 25 % (95 % CI 0.57, 0.98) among women and
19 % (95 % CI 0.67, 0.99) among men. The association of adherence to the MD with
CHD incidence was again inverse, but weaker (hazard ratios 0.85 (95 % CI 0.71,
1.02) among women and 0.98 (95 % CI 0.87, 1.10) among men). With respect to
score components, only meat among men (positively) and fruits and nuts among
women (inversely) were associated with both the incidence of and mortality from
CHD"
-
Diet Quality
Is Associated with All-Cause Mortality in Adults Aged 65 Years and Older - J
Nutr. 2011 Dec 21 - "Three measures of diet quality were
used: the Healthy Diet Score (HDS), the Recommended Food Score (RFS), and the
Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) ... After adjustment for confounders, the MDS was
significantly associated with mortality [highest vs. lowest quartile; HR = 0.78
(95% CI = 0.62-0.98)]. Similarly, the RFS was also associated with mortality [HR
= 0.67 (95 % CI = 0.52-0.86)]; however, there were no significant associations
for the HDS [HR = 0.99 (95% CI = 0.79-1.24)]"
-
Adherence to
the Mediterranean diet and quality of life in the SUN Project - Eur J Clin
Nutr. 2011 Aug 17 - "Health-related quality of life
(HRQL) ... Multivariate-adjusted models revealed a significant direct
association between adherence to Mediterranean diet and all the physical and
most mental health domains (vitality, social functioning and role emotional).
Vitality (β=0.50, 95% CI=0.32-0.68) and general health (β=0.45, 95%
CI=0.26-0.62) showed the highest coefficients. Mean values for physical
functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health and vitality domains
were significantly better with increasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
Those having improved their initial high diet scores have better scores in
physical functioning, general health and vitality. Conclusions: Adherence to the
Mediterranean diet seems to be a factor importantly associated with a better
HRQL" - Note: For me, quality of life has always been more important
mortality. For example, you may live longer (that's debatable) with calorie
restriction but is it worth being cranky your entire life?
-
The impact
of a Mediterranean diet and healthy lifestyle on premature mortality in men and
women - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jul 27 - "Adherence to
the Mediterranean diet was significantly related to lower mortality in women but
not significantly in men. The healthy lifestyle score was strongly inversely
related to mortality in women and men. When the least-healthy to the healthiest
lifestyle scores were compared, HRs of 4.07 (95% CI: 2.59, 6.40; P-trend <0.001)
and 2.61 (95% CI: 1.79, 3.80; P-trend <0.001) were shown in women and men,
respectively. For the same comparison, the mortality rate advancement period
("aging effect") was 15.1 y (95% CI: 9.9, 20.2 y) in women and 8.4 y (95% CI:
5.0, 11.8 y) in men ... This study suggests that adherence to 4 modifiable
healthy lifestyle factors can substantially reduce premature mortality in women
and men"
-
Adherence to
the Mediterranean diet reduces mortality in the Spanish cohort of the European
Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain) - Br J
Nutr. 2011 May 17:1-11 - "Epidemiological studies show
that adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) increases longevity; however, few
studies are restricted to Mediterranean populations or explore the effect of a
MD pattern that directly incorporates olive oil. Therefore the relationship
between adherence to the MD and mortality was studied within the the Spanish
cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
(EPIC-Spain) ... Risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality was assessed
according to the level of adherence to a relative MD (rMED) score, measured
using an 18-unit scale incorporating nine selected dietary components. A high
compared with a low rMED score was associated with a significant reduction in
mortality from all causes (hazard ratio (HR) 0.79; 95 % CI 0.69, 0.91), from CVD
(HR 0.66; 95 % CI 0.49, 0.89), but not from overall cancer (HR 0.92; 95 % CI
0.75, 1.12). A 2-unit increase in rMED score was associated with a 6 % (P <
0.001) decreased risk of all-cause mortality. A high olive oil intake and
moderate alcohol consumption contributed most to this association. In this
Spanish cohort, following an olive oil-rich MD was related to a significant
reduction in all-cause mortality, and reduced the risk of mortality from CVD.
These results support the important role that the MD pattern has on reducing
mortality in Mediterranean countries" -
Click here for my olive oil mayonnaise recipe.
-
Effect of a
traditional Mediterranean diet on apolipoproteins B, A-I, and their ratio: A
randomized, controlled trial - Atherosclerosis. 2011 May 6 -
"Apolipoprotein (Apo)B,
ApoA-I, and their ratio could predict
coronary heart disease (CHD) risk more accurately than conventional lipid
measurements. Our aim was to assess the effect of a traditional Mediterranean
diet (TMD) on apolipoproteins ... Participants assigned to a low-fat diet
(control) (n=177), or TMDs (TMD+virgin olive oil (VOO), n=181 or TMD+nuts,
n=193) received nutritional education and either free VOO (ad libitum) or nuts
(dose: 30g/day). A 3-month evaluation was performed ... Both TMDs promoted
beneficial changes on classical cardiovascular risk factors. ApoA-I increased,
and ApoB and ApoB/ApoA-I ratio decreased after TMD+VOO, the changes promoting a
lower cardiometabolic risk. Changes in TMD+VOO versus low-fat diet were
-2.9mg/dL (95% CI, -5.6 to -0.08), 3.3mg/dL (95% CI, 0.84 to 5.8), and
-0.03mg/dL (-0.05 to -0.01) for ApoB, ApoA-I, and ApoB/ApoA-I ratio,
respectively ... Individuals at high-cardiovascular risk who improved their diet
toward a TMD pattern rich in virgin olive oil, reduced their Apo B and
ApoB/ApoA-I ratio and improved ApoA-I concentrations" - The question is;
is it the polyphenols or the omega-9 or both in the virgin olive oil responsible
for the benefit? See
olive leaf extract at Amazon.com.
-
Adherence to a Mediterranean-type dietary pattern and cognitive decline in a
community population - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec 22 -
"investigated whether adherence to a Mediterranean
dietary pattern or to the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) is associated
with cognitive change in older adults ... For both scoring systems, higher
scores connote greater adherence ... Mean (+/-SD) scores for participants
were 28.2 +/- 0.1 for the MedDiet and 61.2 +/- 9.6 for the HEI-2005. White
participants had higher energy-adjusted MedDiet scores but lower HEI-2005
scores than did black participants. Higher MedDiet scores were associated
with slower rates of cognitive decline (β = +0.0014 per 1-point increase,
SEE = 0.0004, P = 0.0004) after adjustment for age, sex, race, education,
participation in cognitive activities, and energy. No such associations were
observed for HEI-2005 scores"
-
Can the
Mediterranean diet lower HbA1c in type 2 diabetes? Results from a randomized
cross-over study - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010 Jul 29 -
"Compared with usual diet, on the ad libitum
Mediterranean intervention diet glycosylated haemoglobin fell from 7.1% (95%
CI: 6.5-7.7) to 6.8%"
-
Oleuropein enhances osteoblastogenesis and inhibits adipogenesis: the effect on
differentiation in stem cells derived from bone marrow - Osteoporos Int.
2010 May 21 - "Our data suggest that oleuropein, highly
abundant in olive tree products included in the traditional Mediterranean diet,
could prevent age-related bone loss and osteoporosis" - See
olive leaf extract at Amazon.com.
-
Are there specific treatments for the metabolic syndrome? - Am J Clin
Nutr. 2008 Jan;87(1):8-11 - "Although there is no
"all-inclusive" diet yet, it seems plausible that a Mediterranean-style diet
has most of the desired attributes, including a lower content of refined
carbohydrates, a high content of fiber, a moderate content of fat (mostly
unsaturated), and a moderate-to-high content of vegetable proteins"
-
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Is Inversely Associated With Circulating
Interleukin-6 Among Middle-Aged Men. A Twin Study - Circulation. 2007
Dec 17 - "A 1-unit within-pair absolute difference
in the diet score was associated with a 9% (95% CI, 4.5 to 13.6) lower
interleukin-6 level"
-
Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Prediction of All-Cause Mortality in a US
Population: Results From the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study - Arch
Intern Med. 2007 Dec 10;167(22):2461-8 - "The
Mediterranean diet was associated with reduced all-cause and cause-specific
mortality. In men, the multivariate HRs comparing high to low conformity for
all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.76-0.83), 0.78
(95% CI, 0.69-0.87), and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.76-0.91), respectively. In women,
an inverse association was seen with high conformity with this pattern:
decreased risks that ranged from 12% for cancer mortality to 20% for
all-cause mortality (P = .04 and P < .001, respectively, for the trend)"
-
Mediterranean Diet, Alzheimer Disease, and Vascular Mediation - Arch
Neurol, 10/9/06 - "Higher adherence to the MeDi was
associated with lower risk for AD (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence
interval, 0.67-0.87; P<.001). Compared with subjects in the lowest MeDi
tertile, subjects in the middle MeDi tertile had an odds ratio of 0.47 (95%
confidence interval, 0.29-0.76) and those at the highest tertile an odds
ratio of 0.32 (95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.59) for AD"
-
Mediterranean diet improves erectile function in subjects with the metabolic
syndrome - Int J Impot Res. 2006 Jan 5 -
"Mediterranean-style diet rich in whole grain,
fruits, vegetables, legumes, walnut, and olive oil might be effective per se
in reducing the prevalence of ED in men with the metabolic syndrome"
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Effect of a mediterranean-style diet on endothelial dysfunction and markers
of vascular inflammation in the metabolic syndrome: a randomized trial
- JAMA. 2004 Sep 22;292(12):1440-6 - "A
Mediterranean-style diet might be effective in reducing the prevalence of
the metabolic syndrome and its associated cardiovascular risk"
-
Metabolic syndrome: dietary interventions - Curr Opin Cardiol. 2004
Sep;19(5):473-9 -
"Although there is no "all-inclusive" diet yet, it
seems plausible that a Mediterranean-style diet exhibits most of the desired
attributes"
-
Mediterranean diet improves lipid profiles over three months - Asia Pac
J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(Suppl):S138 -
"A Mediterranean diet is effective for weight loss
over three months and has early favourable effect on HDL and Triglyceride
levels and a neutral effect on TC and LDL levels"
-
The Postprandial Effect of Components of the Mediterranean Diet on
Endothelial Function - J Am Coll Cardiol 2000;36:1455–60 -
"In terms of their postprandial effect on
endothelial function, the beneficial components of the Mediterranean and
Lyon Diet Heart Study diets appear to be antioxidant-rich foods, including
vegetables, fruits, and their derivatives such as vinegar, and omega-3-rich
fish and canola oils"
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