scholarly journals Are the advantages of the Mediterranean diet transferable to other populations? A cohort study in Melbourne, Australia

1999 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antigone Kouris-Blazos ◽  
Charalambos Gnardellis ◽  
Mark L. Wahlqvist ◽  
Dimitrios Trichopoulos ◽  
Widjaja Lukito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Unit Increase ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Traditional Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Diet Score ◽  
Overall Mortality

A prospective cohort study, involving 141 Anglo-Celts and 189 Greek-Australians of both sexes aged 70 years or more, was undertaken in Melbourne, Australia. The objective was to evaluate whether adherence to the principles of the Mediterranean diet affects survival of elderly people in developed non-Mediterranean countries. Diet was assessed using an extensive validated questionnaire on food intake. A one unit increase in a diet score, devised a priori on the basis of eight key features of the traditional common diet in the Mediterranean region, was associated with a 17 % reduction in overall mortality (two-tailed P value 0·07). Mortality reduction with increasing diet score was at least as evident among Anglo-Celts as among Greek-Australians. We conclude that a diet that adheres to the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet is associated with longer survival among Australians of either Greek or Anglo-Celtic origin.

scholarly journals Changes in food supply in Mediterranean countries from 1961 to 2001

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reina Garcia-Closas ◽  
Antoni Berenguer ◽  
Carlos A González
Keyword(s):  
Olive Oil ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Dietary Pattern ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Geographical Differences ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Traditional Mediterranean Diet ◽  
The 1960S

AbstractObjectiveTo describe geographical differences and time trends in the supply of the most important food components of the traditional Mediterranean diet.DesignFood supply data collected from national food balance sheets for the period 1961–2001.SettingSelected Mediterranean countries: Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.ResultsDifferences of almost 30-fold and five-fold were found in the supply of olive oil and fruits and vegetables, respectively, among the Mediterranean countries studied during the 1960s. A favourable increasing trend for the supply of fruit and vegetables was observed in most Mediterranean countries. However, an increase in the supply of meats and dairy products and a decrease in the supply of cereals and wine were observed in European Mediterranean countries from 1961 until 2001. Only in African and Asiatic Mediterranean countries were cereals the base of food supply. During the 1990s, Greece's food supply pattern was closest to the traditional Mediterranean diet, while Italy and Spain maintained a high availability of fruits, vegetables and olive oil, but were losing the other typical components. Among African and Asiatic Mediterranean countries, only Turkey presented a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern except with respect to olive oil, the supply of which was very low. France showed a Western dietary pattern, with a high supply of animal products and a low supply of olive oil.ConclusionsDietary supplies in the Mediterranean area were quite heterogeneous in the 1960s and have experienced a process of Westernization, especially in European Mediterranean countries.

scholarly journals Feasibility of the AusMed Diet Program: Translating the Mediterranean Diet for Older Australians

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karly Zacharia ◽  
Amanda J. Patterson ◽  
Coralie English ◽  
Lesley MacDonald-Wicks
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Diet Pattern ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Additional Support ◽  
Diet Score

The Mediterranean diet pattern (MEDI) is associated with a lower risk of chronic conditions related to ageing. Adherence research mostly comes from Mediterranean countries with high cultural acceptability. This study examines the feasibility of a MEDI intervention designed specifically for older Australians (AusMed). Phase 1 involved a consumer research group (n = 17) presentation of program materials with surveys after each section. In-depth individual semi-structured interviews (n = 6) were then conducted. All participants reported increased knowledge and confidence in adherence to the MEDI, with the majority preferring a booklet format (70%) and group delivery (58%). Three themes emerged from interviews—1. barriers (complexity, perceived cost and food preferences), 2. additional support and 3. individualisation of materials. Program materials were modified accordingly. Phase 2 was a 2-week trial of the modified program (n = 15). Participants received a group counselling session, program manual and food hamper. Adherence to the MEDI was measured by the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). All participants increased their adherence after the 2-week trial, from a mean score of 5.4 ± 2.4 (low adherence) to a mean score of 9.6 ± 2.0 (moderate to high adherence). All found that text message support helped achieve their goals and were confident to continue the dietary change.

Diet and cancer in Mediterranean countries: carbohydrates and fats

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (9A) ◽  
pp. 1595-1600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Bosetti ◽  
Claudio Pelucchi ◽  
Carlo La Vecchia
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Olive Oil ◽  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Glycaemic Index ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Mediterranean

AbstractObjectiveSeveral aspects of the diet characteristic of the Mediterranean countries are considered favourable not only on cardiovascular disease, but also on cancer risk. We considered some aspects of the Mediterranean diet (including, in particular, the consumption of olive oil and carbohydrates) on cancer risk.Design, Setting and SubjectsData were derived from a series of case-control studies, conducted in Italy since the early 1990s, on over 10 000 cases of thirteen cancer sites and over 17 000 controls.ResultsOlive oil, and other mono- and unsaturated fats, appear to be favourable indicators of breast, ovarian, colorectal, but mostly of upper aero-digestive tract cancers. Whole grain foods are also related to reduced risk of upper aero-digestive tract and various other cancers. In contrast, refined grain intake and, consequently, glycaemic index and glycaemic load were associated to increased risk for several cancer sites. Fish, and hence a diet rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, tended to be another favourable diet indicator, while frequent red meat intake was directly related to some common neoplasms. An a priori defined Mediterranean diet score was inversely related to upper digestive and respiratory tract cancers.ConclusionsThese data provide additional evidence that major characteristics of the Mediterranean diet favourably affect cancer risk.

scholarly journals Traditional Mediterranean diet and longevity in the elderly: a review

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 943-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Trichopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
A Priori ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Proportional Hazard ◽  
Proportional Hazard Models ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Traditional Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
General Mortality

AbstractObjective:To review the evidence that the traditional Mediterranean diet is associated with longevity.Setting:Elderly persons of both genders in Greece, Spain, Denmark and Australia studied by different groups of investigators.Methods:Adherence to the principles of the Mediterranean diet was operationalised through a score devised a priori, and study participants were followed up until death or the end of the study. Proportional hazard models were used.Results:Closer adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a significant decrease in general mortality among the elderly persons studied.Conclusion:The Mediterranean diet is positively associated with longevity among the elderly. If the assumption holds that there is no interaction between age and diet with respect to general mortality, it can be inferred that the traditional Mediterranean diet represents a healthy nutritional pattern.

scholarly journals Mediterranean diet and overall mortality differences in the European Union

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 949-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Trichopoulos ◽  
Pagona Lagiou
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
A Priori ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Mediterranean Diet Score ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Diet Score ◽  
Overall Mortality

AbstractObjective:To assess whether the Mediterranean diet contributes to overall mortality differences and trends between Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean European Union (EU) countries.Design:Routinely recorded adjusted overall mortality and food availability data in Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean EU countries. A Mediterranean diet score designed a priori was used as instrument.Setting:Fifteen EU countries in the 1960s and the 1990s.Subjects:The general population in the 15 EU countries.Results:The difference between Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean EU countries in a 7-point Mediterranean diet score was reduced from 2.9 in the 1960s to 1.6 in the 1990s. This reduction may underlie the reduction in the difference in general mortality between these countries, from about 100 deaths per 100 000 person-years in the early 1970s to about 50 deaths per 100 000 person-years in the 1990s.Conclusions:The decline in overall mortality in the 15 EU countries over the last 25 years is probably unrelated to diet. However, the gradual loss of the survival advantage of Mediterranean EU citizens, compared with other EU citizens, may be linked to the gradual abandonment by the former of their dietary traditions.

scholarly journals Diet and cancer risk in Mediterranean countries: open issues

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (8A) ◽  
pp. 1077-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo La Vecchia ◽  
Cristina Bosetti
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Epithelial Cancers ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Population Attributable Risks

AbstractObjectiveTo analyse various aspects of the Mediterranean diet in relation to the risk of several common cancers in Italy.DesignData from a series of case-control studies conducted in northern Italy between 1983 and 2004 on over 20 000 cases of several major cancers and 18 000 controls.ResultsFor most digestive tract cancers, the risk decreased with increasing vegetable and fruit consumption, with relative risks between 0.3 and 0.7 for the highest level of intake, and the population-attributable risks for low intake of vegetables and fruit ranged between 15 and 40%. Less strong inverse relations were observed for other (epithelial) cancers, too. A number of micronutrients contained in vegetables and fruit showed an inverse relation with cancer risk. In particular, flavones, flavonols and resveratrol were inversely related to breast cancer risk. Olive oil, which is a typical aspect of the Mediterranean diet, has also been inversely related to cancers of the colorectum and breast, and mainly of the upper digestive and respiratory tract. Consumption of pizza, one of the most typical Italian foods, was related to a reduced risk of digestive tract cancers, although pizza may simply be an aspecific indicator of the Italian diet.ConclusionsAdherence to the Mediterranean diet is a favourable indicator of the risk of several common epithelial cancers in Italy. A score summarising the major characteristics of the Mediterranean diet was related to a priori defined reduced risks of several digestive tract neoplasms by over 50%.

scholarly journals Quality, but not cost, of diet is associated with 5-year incidence of CVD: the ATTICA study

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1890-1897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Vlismas ◽  
Demosthenes B Panagiotakos ◽  
Christos Pitsavos ◽  
Christina Chrysohoou ◽  
Yannis Skoumas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
Unit Increase ◽  
History Of ◽  
Diet Cost ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Traditional Mediterranean Diet

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of the present work was to calculate the current cost of the Mediterranean diet in Greece and to evaluate the role of diet cost in the development of cardiovascular events after a 5-year follow-up.DesignCross-sectional. Cost of diet was measured in €/week based on common Greek dietary choices, while baseline dietary habits were assessed through a semi-quantitative FFQ (Greek-EPIC). The Mediterranean Diet Score (MedDietScore) was applied to assess overall adherence to this pattern using scores of eleven food variables and alcohol, according to the principles of the Mediterranean diet.SettingFive-year follow-up of the ATTICA study, a nutrition and health survey of a representative, free-living sample of the Greek population resident in the province of Attica, where Athens is a major metropolis.SubjectsFrom 2001 to 2002, 1514 men and 1528 women (aged >18 years) without known CVD were enrolled. In 2006, the 5-year follow-up was performed.ResultsThe weekly cost of participants’ diets varied from 5·35 to 83·57 €/week in men (mean 25·45 (sd 6·80) €/week) and from 10·89 to 55·49 €/week in women (mean 25·63 (sd 6·30) €/week). Diet cost was correlated marginally to MedDietScore (r = 0·060, P = 0·05) as well as being associated with history of hypercholesterolaemia (mean (sd), yes v. no: 24·90 (5·73) v. 25·82 (6·95) €/week, P = 0·027), physical activity (mean (sd), yes v. no: 26·42 (6·90) v. 24·82 (6·20) €/week, P < 0·001) and current smoking (mean (sd), yes v. no: 24·99 (6·40) v. 25·98 (6·70) €/week, P = 0·017). No significant association was found between diet cost and 5-year incidence of CVD (hazard ratio = 1·021, 95 % CI 0·965, 1·081). However, adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with the development of CVD (relative risk per 1-unit increase in MedDietScore = 0·92, 95 % CI 0·89, 0·94) after adjustment for various potential confounders including diet cost.ConclusionsQuality but not cost of the diet is associated with the development of CVD.

scholarly journals The Association Between the Mediterranean Lifestyle and Depression

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1085-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almudena Sánchez-Villegas ◽  
Miguel Ruíz-Canela ◽  
Alfredo Gea ◽  
Francisca Lahortiga ◽  
Miguel A. Martínez-González
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Relative Risk Reduction ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Depression Risk ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Diet Level

This research assessed the association between the adherence to a Mediterranean lifestyle beyond the Mediterranean diet and the risk of depression in a prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates. Through a dynamic cohort study method, diet was assessed with a validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. The baseline assessment included a validated questionnaire on physical activity and average time spent with friends (socializing). Mediterranean lifestyle was defined as the joint exposure to Mediterranean diet, level of physical activity, and level of socializing. After a median follow-up of 8.5 years, 806 cases of depression among 11,800 participants were observed. Participants with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle showed a 50% relative risk reduction in depression risk as compared to those participants with the lowest adherence (multivariable hazard ratio = 0.50; 95% confidence interval = [0.32, 0.81]). The Mediterranean lifestyle might reduce depression risk in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra cohort study beyond the known effects of the Mediterranean diet.

scholarly journals Adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed by a novel dietary biomarker score and mortality in older adults: the InCHIANTI cohort study

BMC Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Hidalgo-Liberona ◽  
Tomás Meroño ◽  
Raul Zamora-Ros ◽  
Montserrat Rabassa ◽  
Richard Semba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Mediterranean Diet Score ◽  
Dietary Biomarkers ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Diet Score

Abstract Background Dietary biomarkers may complement dietary intake assessment made by dietary questionnaires. We developed an a-posteriori dietary biomarkers score based on Mediterranean diet food groups and evaluated its association with mortality. Methods 642 participants (56% female), aged ≥65 years, with complete data on dietary biomarkers were followed during 20 years in the InCHIANTI cohort study (Tuscany, Italy). The main outcomes were all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. Dietary biomarkers were selected from literature and from correlation analyses with dietary intakes of Mediterranean diet food groups in the study. The baseline levels of the following dietary biomarkers were chosen: urinary total polyphenols and resveratrol metabolites, and plasma carotenoids, selenium, vitamin B12, linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, and the mono-unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio. Associations of the Mediterranean diet score using dietary biomarkers and a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) (as tertiles) with mortality were assessed through Cox regression. Results During the 20-year follow-up [median (Q1–Q3), 14 (8–18) years], and 435 deaths occurred (139 from cardiovascular diseases and 89 from cancer-related causes). In the fully adjusted models, the dietary biomarker-Mediterranean diet score was inversely associated with all-cause (HRT3vs.T1 0.72; 95%CI 0.56–0.91) and cardiovascular (HRT3vs.T1 0.60; 95%CI 0.38–0.93), but not with cancer mortality. Associations between the FFQ-Mediterranean diet score and mortality were not statistically significant. Conclusions A greater adherence at baseline to a Mediterranean diet assessed by a dietary biomarker score was associated with a lower risk of mortality in older adults during a 20-year follow-up. The measurement of dietary biomarkers may contribute to guide individualized dietary counseling to older people. Trial registration NCT01331512

scholarly journals Prospective association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and hepatic steatosis: the Swiss CoLaus cohort study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e040959
Author(s):  
Saman Khalatbari-Soltani ◽  
Pedro Marques-Vidal ◽  
Fumiaki Imamura ◽  
Nita G. Forouhi
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Fatty Liver ◽  
Hepatic Steatosis ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Prospective Association

ObjectiveThe Mediterranean diet has been promoted as a healthy dietary pattern, but whether the Mediterranean diet may help to prevent hepatic steatosis is not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the prospective association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of hepatic steatosis.DesignPopulation-based prospective cohort study.SettingThe Swiss CoLaus Study.ParticipantsWe evaluated 2288 adults (65.4% women, aged 55.8±10.0 years) without hepatic steatosis at first follow-up in 2009–2012. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was scaled as the Mediterranean diet score (MDS) based on the Mediterranean diet pyramid ascertained with responses to Food Frequency Questionnaires.Outcome measuresNew onset of hepatic steatosis was ascertained by two indices separately: the Fatty Liver Index (FLI, ≥60 points) and the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) score (≥−0.640 points). Prospective associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of hepatic steatosis were quantified using Poisson regression.ResultsDuring a mean 5.3 years of follow-up, hepatic steatosis was ascertained in 153 (6.7%) participants by FLI criteria and in 208 (9.1%) by NAFLD score. After multivariable adjustment, higher adherence to MDS was associated with lower risk of hepatic steatosis based on FLI: risk ratio 0.84 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.96) per 1 SD of MDS; 0.85 (0.73 to 0.99) adjusted for BMI; and 0.85 (0.71 to 1.02) adjusted for both BMI and waist circumference. When using NAFLD score, no significant association was found between MDS and risk of hepatic steatosis (0.95 (0.83 to 1.09)).ConclusionA potential role of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of hepatic steatosis is suggested by the inverse association observed between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and incidence of hepatic steatosis based on the FLI. The inconsistency of this association when hepatic steatosis was assessed by NAFLD score points to the need for accurate population-level assessment of fatty liver and its physiological markers.

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