Mediterranean diet health benefits quantified

Friday, 15 August 2003 10:12 PM

As suspected for some time, scientists have shown that eating a Mediterranean diet reduces mortality, and cuts the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer.

The traditional Mediterranean diet complements an abundance of fruits, vegetables, nuts and cereals with the monounsaturated fats of olive oil, washed down with moderate amounts of alcohol in the form of wine.

Moderation is also displayed in the consumption of fish and dairy products, and even smaller amounts of red meat.

After analysing the diets of 22 000 Greeks from all areas of the country over four years, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical School found that those loyal to their traditional dietary roots had improved longevity.

They were not only 33% less likely to die from coronary artery disease than Greeks eating other foods, but also 24% less likely to die from cancer. Overall they had a 25% lower death rate.

The strength of adherence of the diet was quantified on a ten point scale, and for each two point increase on the scale, there was a 25% reduction in total mortality among the participants.

Lead author of the study Antonia Trichopoulou explains: "The relationship between closely following the Mediterranean diet and reduced mortality appears to increase with age".

"This appears to reflect the cumulative beneficial effects of a healthy diet."

The results appear in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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