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Comments on: Huge Study Confirms Health and Longevity Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/ Ruminations on Weight Loss, Health, and Longevity Via the Mediterranean Diet Fri, 18 May 2012 07:50:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-36 James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:57:04 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-36 Great analysis. It seems the take-home message is the mediterranean diet is a good one to follow with proof it is healthy. thanks Great analysis. It seems the take-home message is the mediterranean diet is a good one to follow with proof it is healthy.

thanks

]]> By: Francesco Sofi, M.D., Ph.D. http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-37 Francesco Sofi, M.D., Ph.D. Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:09:08 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-37 I am almost completely agree with your comments. Our study is just a meta-analysis, i.e. a statistical approach that tries to obtain one single result from different studies performed with the same scope, and does not want to give any conclusive information about the role of Mediterranean diet. Furthermore, the adherence score analysed in these studies is just one of the several attempts used by researchers for trying to identify the adherence to this kind of diet. But, in my opinion, the real question is what is the Mediterranean diet? If anyone knows the right answer and has a correct definition, please let me know. I live in Italy, and I come from the south of Italy, i.e. where the Mediterranean diet should have been reported firstly, but when the person ask to me a correct definition of such diet I have no precise answer. This does not help to give correct information on what to eat for reducing the risk of disease. Thanks for your interest in our article I am almost completely agree with your comments.
Our study is just a meta-analysis, i.e. a statistical approach that tries to obtain one single result from different studies performed with the same scope, and does not want to give any conclusive information about the role of Mediterranean diet.
Furthermore, the adherence score analysed in these studies is just one of the several attempts used by researchers for trying to identify the adherence to this kind of diet.
But, in my opinion, the real question is what is the Mediterranean diet? If anyone knows the right answer and has a correct definition, please let me know. I live in Italy, and I come from the south of Italy, i.e. where the Mediterranean diet should have been reported firstly, but when the person ask to me a correct definition of such diet I have no precise answer. This does not help to give correct information on what to eat for reducing the risk of disease.

Thanks for your interest in our article

]]> By: Steve Parker, M.D. http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-38 Steve Parker, M.D. Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:57:58 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-38 Thanks for the compliment Dr. Hubbard. I hope to spend some time at your blog soon. And thank you very much, Dr. Sofi, for your comments. [For those not paying close attention, Dr. Sofi is the lead author of the BMJ article we're discussing.] One problem is that there simply is no immutable, monolithic Mediterranean diet. I think that medical/nutrition experts are slowly coming to a consensus as to what constitutes a healthy diet that would be acceptable to general populations (as opposed to Dr. Dean Ornish's heart-healthy vegetarian program that will never be widely adopted). What's the consensus diet? Not much red meat, transfats, saturated fats, or highly processed foods. Favor poultry, fish, and (?) eggs over meat, as good sources of protein. Leaner types of meat, when eaten. Lots of plant-based foods: fruits, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fiber. Moderate amounts of healthy oils such as olive, flaxseed, canola, omega-3 fatty acids from fish. Judicious amounts of wine, if not contraindicated. The scientific literature refers to the consensus diet as Alternative Healthy Eating Index, Prudent Diet, Willett/Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid, or the Meditarranean diet. The DASH diet is close, but doesn't quite make the cut. I propose "Mediterranean Diet" as the best moniker. Not only would it be easier to "market," it has the most scientific literature to back it up. -Steve Thanks for the compliment Dr. Hubbard. I hope to spend some time at your blog soon.

And thank you very much, Dr. Sofi, for your comments. [For those not paying close attention, Dr. Sofi is the lead author of the BMJ article we’re discussing.]

One problem is that there simply is no immutable, monolithic Mediterranean diet. I think that medical/nutrition experts are slowly coming to a consensus as to what constitutes a healthy diet that would be acceptable to general populations (as opposed to Dr. Dean Ornish’s heart-healthy vegetarian program that will never be widely adopted).

What’s the consensus diet? Not much red meat, transfats, saturated fats, or highly processed foods. Favor poultry, fish, and (?) eggs over meat, as good sources of protein. Leaner types of meat, when eaten. Lots of plant-based foods: fruits, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fiber. Moderate amounts of healthy oils such as olive, flaxseed, canola, omega-3 fatty acids from fish. Judicious amounts of wine, if not contraindicated.

The scientific literature refers to the consensus diet as Alternative Healthy Eating Index, Prudent Diet, Willett/Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid, or the Meditarranean diet. The DASH diet is close, but doesn’t quite make the cut.

I propose “Mediterranean Diet” as the best moniker. Not only would it be easier to “market,” it has the most scientific literature to back it up.

-Steve

]]> By: Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-42 Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:14:08 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-42 One hallmark of the Mediterranean diet is that it is low in omega-6 fat, a fact that is often neglected in spite of the studies indicating its significance! Examples: - The Lyon Diet Heart Study-- which popularized the health benefits of eating a Mediterranean diet was designed and implemented as a low dietary omega-6 fat of 7 grams, because the researchers determined that it was one of the key features of eating a Mediterranean diet. (Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fat, and is primarily oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid). ( de Lorgeril, M Mediterranean Diet... Report of the Lyon Diet Heart Study Circulation 99: 779-785.) -Greece, lsand of Crete- The Greek Mediterranean diet, as exemplified by the diet of Crete, is associated with the longest life expectancy and lowest rate of cardiovascular disease. It is a low omega-6 fat. And this is the Mediterranean diet, which the Lyon Diet Heart was patterned. (Simopoulos AP.What is so special about the diet of Greece? The scientific evidence. World Rev Nutr Diet, 2005. ) -The Chianti Study-- The population of two small towns in Tuscany, Italy, eat a low omega-6 fat, with an average intake of 7 grams of polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) per day. (Ferrucci L et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006.) Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD http://omega-6-omega-3-balance.omegaoptimize.com/2008/09/14/how-much-omega6-fat-is-too-much.aspx One hallmark of the Mediterranean diet is that it is low in omega-6 fat, a fact that is often neglected in spite of the studies indicating its significance!

Examples:
- The Lyon Diet Heart Study–
which popularized the health benefits of eating a Mediterranean diet was designed and implemented as a low dietary omega-6 fat of 7 grams, because the researchers determined that it was one of the key features of eating a Mediterranean diet. (Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fat, and is primarily oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid).
( de Lorgeril, M Mediterranean Diet… Report of the Lyon Diet Heart Study Circulation 99: 779-785.)

-Greece, lsand of Crete-
The Greek Mediterranean diet, as exemplified by the diet of Crete, is associated with the longest life expectancy and lowest rate of cardiovascular disease. It is a low omega-6 fat. And this is the Mediterranean diet, which the Lyon Diet Heart was patterned.
(Simopoulos AP.What is so special about the diet of Greece? The scientific evidence. World Rev Nutr Diet, 2005. )

-The Chianti Study–
The population of two small towns in Tuscany, Italy, eat a low omega-6 fat, with an average intake of 7 grams of polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) per day.
(Ferrucci L et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006.)

Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD
http://omega-6-omega-3-balance.omegaoptimize.com/2008/09/14/how-much-omega6-fat-is-too-much.aspx

]]> By: Steve Parker, M.D. http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-43 Steve Parker, M.D. Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:12:33 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-43 Thanks for your comments, Evelyn. I admit I'm not entirely up to date on the omega-6 issue, but will get there with your help. [Evelyn Tribole is the author of "The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet" and "Intuitive Eating."] -Steve Thanks for your comments, Evelyn. I admit I’m not entirely up to date on the omega-6 issue, but will get there with your help.

[Evelyn Tribole is the author of “The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet” and “Intuitive Eating.”]

-Steve

]]> By: cholesterol lowering foods http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-49 cholesterol lowering foods Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:14:03 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-49 Interesting Diet Pyramid. Thanks for sharing. Interesting Diet Pyramid. Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: darya http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-50 darya Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:21:42 +0000 http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/2008/09/19/huge-study-confirms-health-and-longevity-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet/#comment-50 Great analysis, thanks for the link. I was wondering about the olive oil and dairy as well. I think we can agree this is a nice attempt to quantify adherence, although it reaches the limits of what a meta-analysis can achieve. But it would have also been nice to see a gradation of adherence, as you suggest. Great analysis, thanks for the link. I was wondering about the olive oil and dairy as well.

I think we can agree this is a nice attempt to quantify adherence, although it reaches the limits of what a meta-analysis can achieve. But it would have also been nice to see a gradation of adherence, as you suggest.

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