All of the work we do at Oldways is well grounded in science. Here's a look at some of the current studies that support the solid health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, and the reasons to follow a healthy eating pattern today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life.

Cheese Doesn't Increase "Bad" Cholesterol
All saturated fats do not affect the body equally, according to a new study from Denmark. In this randomized dietary intervention, 49 men and women ate their normal diet for 14 days, then ate a diet with 13% of calories from cheese for six weeks and a diet with the same 13% of calories from butter for another six weeks. LDL ("bad") cholesterol and total cholesterol did not rise during the cheese diet, although saturated fat and total fat were higher than during the normal run-in. They did rise during the butter diet, however, indicating that there is likely some reason that fermented dairy products are healthier.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. December 2011; 94(6): 1479-84. (Hjerpsted et al.)

Ischemic Stroke Risk Lower with Mediterranean Diet
Scientists at Harokopio University in Greece compared 250 elderly people (77±9 yrs) who had already had a stroke with an age- and gender-matched control group with no stroke history. They rated all of them on their adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, using a MedDietScore with a range of 0-55. Each 1 point rise in MedDietScore was associated with a 17% lower risk of ischemic stroke in those without high cholesterol, and a 10% lower risk in those with high cholesterol.
Angiology. December 5, 2011. [Epub ahead of print] (Kastorini et al.)

Whole Grains an Essential Component of the Mediterranean Diet
At the University of Granada in Spain, researchers reviewed a number of human studies (both intervention and cohort studies) to quantify the evidence for the role of whole grains in health. They concluded that those consuming three servings or more of whole grains per day have a 20-30% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and of type 2 diabetes. Whole grains are also protective against colorectal cancer and polyps, other digestive and hormone-based cancers, and pancreatic cancers, leading researchers to dub whole grain cereals and breads as "a duet of the Mediterranean Diet for prevention of chronic diseases."
Public Health Nutrition. December 2011; 14(12):2316-22. (Gil et al.)

Less Inflammation, Oxidative Stress with Med Diet
Italian researchers studied the diets of 131 healthy adults, and rated each person's diet for overall adherence to a traditional Mediterranean Diet. They compared this "Mediterranean Diet Score" to blood test results of cholesterol and triglycerides, antioxidant levels, immune system function and oxidative stress. They found that those with a higher Med Diet Score had less inflammation, reduced oxidative stress, and higher circulating levels of antioxidants, all of which are associated with reduced risk of disease.
Nutrition Journal, November 16, 2011; 10(1):125 [Epub ahead of print] (Azzini et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Expression of Inflammation Gene in Elderly
Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, has been linked with chronic low-grade inflammation, and such inflammation has been tied, in part, to fats in the diet. Scientists at the University of Córdoba, Spain, asked 20 healthy elderly adults to follow three different diets for three weeks each, and compared their bodies' expressions of a gene linked to inflammation under each diet. They found that consumption of a Mediterranean Diet reduced post-meal inflammation more than the other two diets (a saturated fat-rich diet or a low-fat, high-carb diet enriched with Omega 2 polyunsaturated fats). The researchers stated that "these findings may be partly responsible for the lower CVD risk found in populations with a high adherence to the Med Diet."
British Journal of Nutrition, November 15, 2011;1-9 [Epub ahead of print] (Camargo et al.)

Sleep Apnea Improves with Mediterranean Diet
Researchers at Greece's University of Crete evaluated 900 patients to choose 40 obese adults with moderate to severe apnea. They divided the patients randomly into two groups, with half following the Mediterranean Diet and the other half following a "prudent diet;" everyone was encouraged to walk and exercise 30 minutes daily. After six months, the scientists found that the Mediterranean Diet group showed reduced apnea during REM sleep (about 25% of sleep) and a greater reduction in waist circumference and abdominal fat, as well as greater adherence to the diet.
European Respiratory Journal, October 27, 2011 [Epub ahead of print] (Papandreou et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Lowers Risk of Birth Defects
Doctors in ten U.S. locations, led by a team at Stanford University, studied 9,558 women who delivered babies from 1997 to 2005, including 936 babies with neural tube defects, and 2475 with orofacial clefts. They compared the diets of the women who delivered babies with birth defects to 6147 nonmalformed controls, giving each mother a Mediterranean Diet Score and a Diet Quality Index (based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines). The doctors found that mothers scoring in the highest quintile of either diet index significantly reduced their babies' risk for birth defects.
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, October 3, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Protective Effects of Mediterranean Diet against Prostate Cancer
In a meta-analysis of the relationship between diet and prostate cancer, scientists in Valencia, Spain reviewed existing studies. They found that prostate cancer is reduced in men on the Mediterranean Diet compared with those on a typical Western diet. They cited several characteristics of the Med Diet, including high daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains, tubers and legumes; olive oil as the main source of fats; low intake of animal products; regular consumption of small fish; and small amounts of wine with meals.
Actas Urologicas Españas, September 27 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Heart Function and the Mediterranean Diet
Seeking better understanding of how patients with chronic heart failure could slow progression of the disease, scientists in Greece studied the diet habits of 372 patients with this condition. They found positive associations between different factors of systolic and diastolic function in both heart ventricles and various element of the Mediterranean diet, including fish intake, olive oil use, pasta intake, and moderate alcohol drinking.
Heart Vessels, September 27, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Med Diet More Effective Than Low-Fat Diet
Researchers at University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland systematically identified randomized controlled trials comparing Mediterranean to low-fat diets for overweight or obese subjects. Only those studies with a minimum follow-up of six month, and that included data on cardiovascular risk factors were included. The researchers concluded that, in the six studies examined, people assigned to the Med Diet group showed more weight loss, lower BMI, lower blood pressure, better blood sugar control, reduced cholesterol, and lower C-reactive protein than those following a low-fat diet in these interventions.
The American Journal of Medicine. September 2011; 124(9):841-851 e2

Live Longer with the Mediterranean Diet
Swedish researchers found that people who followed a Mediterranean Diet lived an estimated 2-3 years longer than those who didn't. The researchers assessed a group of seventy-year-olds (540 women and 507 men) as part of the H70 study, which has gone on for more than 40 years, and reported that those with a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern (especially by consuming whole grains, limited alcohol, and foods high in polyunsaturated fats) had about a 20 percent increased chance of living longer.
AGE, September 2011; 33(3): 439-50 (Tognon et al.)

Elderly Women Stay Independent Longer, with Med Diet
We all want to live to a ripe old age, without pain and disability. While previous studies have shown that greater adherence to a Mediterranean Diet is linked to longer life and reduced risk for cognitive problems, scientists in France set out to study whether the Med Diet could also contribute to seniors' ability to fend off physical disability and live independently longer. To do so, they followed 1410 elderly adults for more than five years. While they did not find a link for men, the researchers found that women eating a diet closest to the traditional Med pattern enjoyed a 50% lower risk of being unable to take care of their own daily needs.
European Journal of Epidemiology, August 28, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Quality of Life Is Better with Mediterranean Diet
Spanish scientists analyzed data from 11,015 university graduates to study associations between Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. They found a significant direct association between following the Med Diet and improved vitality and general health, both among those who initially ate the Med way, and those whose adherence to the Med Diet improved over the four year follow-up of the study.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 17, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Ladies Live Longer with the Mediterranean Diet
Researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands followed a group of 120,852 men and women for ten years, starting when the group was 55-69 years old. They assessed each person on four factors – adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, non-smoking, normal weight, and regular physical activity – to learn which factors helped people to live longer. Scoring high on all four factors was strongly related to reduced mortality, adding an estimated 8.4 years to men's lives and 15 years to women's lives. Among women, adherence to the Med Diet in particular was significantly related to lower mortality.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 27, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Risks from Atrial Fibrillation
In a case-controlled study at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy, scientists compared 400 subjects with known atrial fibrillation to 400 matched controls with no evidence of this type of abnormal heart rhythm. They found that those with atrial fibrillation scored lower on the Mediterranean Diet score, and had fewer antioxidants in their diets. Researchers think that the hearts of the controls, with their healthier Med-style diets, were more likely to experience "spontaneous conversion" – a quick self-correction –of any arrhythmias that did occur
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease, July 26, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Med Diet Trumps Weight Loss in Reducing LDL
If you improve your eating habits, lose weight, and subsequently lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol, is it the weight loss or the healthier eating that's responsible? That's the question scientists at Quebec's Laval University set out to answer when they asked 19 men with metabolic syndrome to follow a control Western diet (5 weeks), a Mediterranean diet without cutting calories (5 weeks), a calorie-restricted free-living diet (20 weeks), and then a calorie-restricted Mediterranean Diet (5 weeks). They found that the Mediterranean Diet in the absence of weight loss made the most significant reductions in unhealthy blood lipids.
British Journal of Nutrition, July 26, 2011: 1-7 [Epub ahead of print]

Risk of Diabetes Reduced with Greater Med Diet Adherence
As part of Europe's EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Project, scientists based in London studied almost 12,000 cases of Type 2 diabetes and their correlation to Mediterranean Diet adherence. After scoring subjects on nine dietary components characteristic of the Med Diet, they found that those adhering most closely to the Mediterranean Diet were 12% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes; those with medium adherence reduced their risk by 7%.
Diabetes Care, July 25, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Cardiac Rehab Program: Med Diet Treats Metabolic Syndrome
People with any three of five common symptoms – high blood pressure, high blood sugar, large waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides – are said to have Metabolic Syndrome, a condition associated with many health risks, including diabetes and heart disease. Because Metabolic Syndrome usually leads to serious disease, researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School set out to design a lifestyle program to combat Metabolic Syndrome. 126 obese over-50 adults with Metabolic Syndrome followed a program consisting of 12 weekly ninety-minute sessions, evenly divided between exercise and nutrition education focusing on the Mediterranean Diet. At the end of the program, patients had lost on average 6.2kg (13.6 lbs), with significant reductions in waist circumference, body fat, blood pressure, triglycerides, and depression. About 20% of those finishing the program no longer had Metabolic Syndrome, and 42% had lost at least one symptom, thanks to the Med Diet and exercise.
Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, July 4, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Olive Oil May Be Protective Against Strokes
Older people who consume plenty of olive oil may reduce their risk of stroke by as much as 41%. That's the conclusion of researchers from the University of Bordeaux, who followed more than 7,000 people over the age of 65, in the French cities of Bordeaux, Dijon, and Montpelier, for more than five years. Compared to those who seldom or never used olive oil, those with the heaviest self-reported use of olive oil lowered their risk of suffering a stroke during the five-year duration of the study from 2.6% to 1.5% – a 41% drop.
Neurology, June 15, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Metabolic Syndrome Factors Improve with Med Diet
In a 12-week randomized trial, 89 women with Metabolic Syndrome were divided into two groups, one consuming a Mediterranean-style low-glycemic-load diet and the other receiving the same diet with the addition of a “medical food” containing phytosterols, soy protein, hops and acacia. At the end of the trial, researchers at the University of Connecticut noted that both groups had similar decreases in waist circumference, blood pressure and plasma triglycerides. Cholesterol levels also improved in both groups, though slightly more in the Med Diet + medical food group.
Journal of Clinical Lipidology, May-June 2011; 5(3):188-96. Epub 2011 Mar 11.

Med Diet Improves Health Markers of Kids with Type 1 Diabetes
Italian researchers at the University of Piemonte Orientale studied the diets of 96 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, before and after these young people and their families attended training with a dietitian on how to follow a traditional Mediterranean Diet. After six months, the children’s dietary lipids and cholesterol improved, while fiber consumption increased.
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, May 27, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Countering the Effect of Depression in Elderly Heart Attack Patients
Many studies have found links between heart disease and depression. Researchers in Greece set out to study whether elderly patients (mean age 75 years) admitted to the hospital for acute heart disease were more likely to suffer another cardiovascular incident within 30 days if they exhibited symptoms of depression. The scientists did, in fact, find that depressive symptoms heightened the risk of this type of relapse, but that higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet erased the association.
Cardiology Research and Practice, 2011: 429487 [Epub May 9, 2011]

Olive Oil, Almonds or Walnuts? All of the Above!
For this month’s featured Mediterranean Diet research update, we turn to scientists in Barcelona and São Paulo, who conducted a recent crossover study to compare the effects of virgin olive oil, almonds, and walnuts in lowering cholesterol in subjects with high cholesterol levels. Subjects ate a healthy “run in” diet for four weeks first, to put all participants at a similar starting place. Then, each person spent 4 weeks on each of three diets: one enriched with virgin olive oil (VOO), one enriched with walnuts, and one with almonds. LDL (“bad”) cholesterol was reduced on average 7.3%, 10.8% and 13.4% after the VOO, walnut, and almond diets, respectively, with total cholesterol and LDL/HDL ratio improving similarly. Researchers concluded that all three of these healthy foods contribute to the heart-health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, March 19, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Med Diet Reduces Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
To assess the Mediterranean Diet’s effect on metabolic syndrome, scientists in Greece and Italy conducted a meta-analysis of 50 peer-reviewed Med Diet studies (including 35 clinical trials) involving more than half a million people. Metabolic Syndrome is considered to be present if someone has three or more of the following: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, large waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol, and high triglycerides. The researchers found that the Med Diet improved all five risk factors, and overall reduced the risk of Metabolic Syndrome. They concluded that “this dietary pattern can be easily adopted by all population groups and various cultures, and cost-effectively serve for primary and secondary prevention of Metabolic Syndrome and its individual components.”
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 15 March 2011; 57:1299-1313.

High-Phenolic Olive Oil Protects Arteries Best
Oxidized LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol”) has been shown to increase the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Oxidized LDL antibodies (OLAB) have been shown, in studies, to protect against atherosclerosis. Scientists in five European countries working as part of the EUROLIVE Study Group designed a crossover study to see whether higher polyphenol levels in different olive olis would generate more OLABs. 200 healthy men were randomly assigned to consume, in three week stints, 25mL a day (just under two tablespoons) of each of three olive oils with high, medium, and low phenolic content. The researchers found that the protective OLABs increased in direct relationship to the phenolic content of the olive oils.
Clinical Nutrition, March 3, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Brain MRIs show Less Disease with Med Diet
Scientists at the Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain (at U.C. Davis) collected high-resolution MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) data on the brains of 707 elderly New Yorkers. They then studied dietary assessments of these people from the past 5.8 years (on average), and divided the participants into three groups according to Mediterranean Diet adherence. They found that participants in the top-adherence group had 36% less evidence of cerebrovascular disease, and those in the middle group had 22% reduced odds, and concluded that “higher adherence to the Mediteranean Diet is associated with reduced cerbrovascular disease burden.”
Annals of Neurology, February 2011; 69(2): 257-68

Omega-3s in Med Diet Protect Brain Health
Consistent research shows that the Med Diet helps us keep our wits about us as we age. But what explains this connection? A new French study of 1050 elderly subjects showed a strong correlation between adherence to the Med Diet and higher blood levels of healthy fats. In conclusion, the scientists credited the better cognitive function of those eating the Med way to higher levels of DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) and lower ratios of omega-6s to omega-3s.
British Journal of Nutrition, February 2011. 8:1-10 [Epub ahead of print]

MUFAs are Protective Against Heart Disease and Metabolic Syndrome
Our understanding of the role of fats in our diet is shifting from a focus on the total quantity of fat to one emphasizing the quality of fats. Scientists at the University of Manitoba carried out a thorough review of research detailing the association of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) with cardiovascular disease and with metabolic syndrome. They concluded that MUFAs are cardioprotective and reduce the risk of obesity, particularly when they are substituted for saturated fats.
Lipids, February 10, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Med Diet May Lessen Harm from Smoking
Researchers in Greece and the Netherlands collaborated to test whether adherence to the Med Diet could mitigate any of the dangers of smoking – include the harm from second-hand smoke. Based on a review of both epidemiological and lab studies showing the Mediterranean Diets protective effect against biochemical and molecular processes that lead to cancer, the scientists concluded that that the Med Diet might lessen the ravages caused by smoking. This could be especially useful to those who are the potential victims of passive smoking.
Public Health, January 27, 2011 [Epub ahead of print]

Mediterranean Diet for Pregnant Moms Reduces Babies’ Wheezing
At the University of Edinburgh, researchers did a systematic review of 62 studies to determine how the diet of pregnant women may affect asthma and allergies in their babies.  The strongest connection found was between the Mediterranean Diet and asthma: babies whose mothers followed the Med Diet had a nearly 80% lower risk of wheezing. Vitamins A, D and E were also associated with reduced risk of asthma.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dec. 23, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Med Diet Improves Longevity Markers, Insulin Sensitivity
Scientists at the University of Naples studied 192 overweight and obese men, putting half the men on a Med Diet (if overweight) or a Med Diet plus exercise and calorie restriction (if obese), while the other half followed a conventional diet. After two years, the Med Diet group had lost, on average 14 kg (31 lbs), while the control group had lost just 2 kg. Moreover, the Med Diet group showed “significant amelioration of multiple risk factors” including improved cardiovascular markers, reduced oxidative stress, and improved insulin sensitivity.
Cardiology Research & Practice, Dec. 20, 2010; 2011:293916

Med Diet Slows Brain Aging
Cognitive decline is not inevitable as we age, and in fact a new study shows that eating a Mediterranean Diet can make your mental age years younger. Researchers in Chicago studied the dietary habits of 4,000 Midwesterners aged 65 and older, and scored them for adherence to either the Med Diet or the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. They then tested the people every three years for skills including word memory and math. Those who scored highest on the MedDiet scale – by enjoying fish, legumes, vegetables, wine, fruit and olive oil regularly – had slower cognitive decline over time, while those scoring higher on the Dietary Guidelines scale showed no advantage in keeping their wits about them. (Related article).
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. December 22, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Med Diet, Weight Gain and Aging
Some of us may notice a few extra pounds appear on the scale as we get older. Is this just the reality of getting older? A new study, which followed 10,376 Spanish men and women for about 6 years, has found that following the Mediterranean Diet eating pattern may slow down the weight gain normally observed with age. In fact, people with the lowest Med Diet score gained the most weight each year. (Related article).
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. December 2010; 92(6): 1484-93 [Epub Oct 20, 2010]

Polish Scientists Advise Olive Oil in Baby Food   
Scientists in Poland who are familiar with the health benefits of the olive-oil-based Mediterranean Diet reviewed 124 kinds of baby food from six suppliers. They found that corn, canola, and soybean oils were most common in jarred baby foods, and that only one brand of ready-to-eat jars with vegetables featured olive oils. The scientists concluded that medical professionals should urge manufacturers to produce baby foods with olive oil, and that parents should, in the meantime, make their own olive-oil baby foods at home.
Medical Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. December 2010; 3(3):227-232.

Mediterranean Diet and Fertility Treatment Success
Women all over the world struggle with conception, for various reasons. However, new findings point to a possible role for diet in fertility treatment success. Researchers in the Netherlands found that among 161 couples undergoing fertility treatment, women whose eating habits most closely matched the traditional Mediterranean diet were 40 percent more likely to become pregnant than those with the least Mediterranean-like diets. One potential reason adhering to a Mediterranean Diet positively affects fertility treatment is the high intake of vegetable oils, vegetables, fish, and legumes – and a low intake of snacks. (Related article).
Fertility and Sterility, November 2010; 94(6):2096-101 [Epub Mar 1, 2010]

Mediterranean Diet May Help Keep You Smarter
Reading, writing and researching can bulk up your brain, but did you know that your diet could make you smarter? Eating a Mediterranean-style diet -- one rich in olive oil, whole grains, fish and fruit -- may protect aging brains from damage linked to cognitive problems, new research finds. Dr. Nikolas Scarmeas, an associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, and his colleagues have already shown that a Mediterranean Diet could help lower the risk for Alzheimer's disease and might lengthen the life of those who have the disease. In his latest study, he may have found out why. After studying a group of male and female participants averaging 80 years of age, he determined that those who most closely followed the Mediterranean Diet had fewer incidents of stroke and brain infarcts – tissue that has died because of reduced or cut-off blood supply. Those who adhered to the Mediterranean Diet to the highest degree lowered their risk of such damage by up to 36%. (Related article).
Presentation at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, April 10-17, 2010.

Sunscreen for Dinner?
Skin cancer is increasing, even though we're slathering on more sunscreen than ever. A recent study from Israel shows that our best sun protection may come from within. Whereas ultraviolet A radiation reduces antioxidants and damages cell components, a diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, like the diet eaten in Mediterranean regions where melanoma rates are extremely low, can help protect us from skin cancer. (Related article).
Nutrition Reviews. February 2010; 68(2):75-86.

Omega-3 May Reduce Risk of Dental Disease
You are told to brush, floss, and rinse every day, but has your dentist told you to consume more Omega 3 fatty acids lately? He should, according the latest study from Japan comparing levels of omega-3 fatty acids and the prevalence of dental diseases. “People with low DHA intake had an approximately 1.5 times higher incidence rate ratio of periodontal disease progression,” wrote the researchers. Omega-3 fatty acids of marine and plant origin were found to have strong anti-bacterial activity against a range of oral pathogens, which may be related to the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids. “In periodontal diseases, bacteria trigger inflammatory host responses that cause destruction of the alveolar bone and periodontal connective tissue,” explained the researchers. The Mediterranean Diet features ingredients rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, nuts, legumes and vegetables. This pattern of eating is already known to protect against certain kinds of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. Now there is one more reason to try it. (Related article).
Nutrition. November-December 2010; 26(11-12):1105-9 [Epub January 25, 2010]

Mediterranean Diet Protects Eye Health
Did you know you could eat your way towards a better view? According to a study from the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), eating a Mediterranean-style diet can safeguard your eyesight as you get older.  The study found that people who consume at least 100 milliliters of olive oil a week are almost 50 per cent less likely to develop macular degeneration than those who eat less than 1 milliliter per week.

The report’s author, Dr Elaine Chong, said olive oil contains a number of protective elements that contribute to eye health. “A diet rich in olive oil and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as oily fish varieties like salmon and tuna, and nuts may help protect your eyes against diseases such as [macular degeneration].”

Macular degeneration of the eyes is an aggressive disease with little known treatment options. Knowing that following the Mediterranean Diet may help prevent this condition from ever occurring is crucial for the fight against this disease. (Read full article).
SOURCE: Australian Ageing Agenda February 2010

Savor Your Food
The Mediterranean lifestyle isn’t just about healthy, aromatic and flavorful foods and ingredients; it’s also about sharing them in the company of others and relaxing over meals. In the Mediterranean region, food isn’t eaten quickly as a side thought while doing something else. Rather, meals are savored and this act alone is revered as a fundamental part of the peoples’ heritage.

Many people who live in the Mediterranean region do not overeat, and the rate of eating could be the reason why. While eating, specific hormones are released into the gut to signal to the brain when the stomach is full and when to stop eating. This fact led a group of researchers in Athens to ask: If we eat our meals quickly, does that mean the signaling hormones are released quickly, too?

They conducted a study where volunteers ate 300 milliliters (about 1.25 cups) of ice cream at different rates. Before and after the ice cream was eaten, blood levels of glucose, insulin, lipids and gut hormones were measured. They found that volunteers who took 30 minutes to finish the ice cream had higher concentrations of the gut hormones that specifically signal fullness to the brain.

This may mean that one way for us to stop overeating and, as a result, reduce our chances of obesity, is to slow down and calmly enjoy meals – one bite at a time. (Read full article).
SOURCE: World Health.net; Eating Slowly Increases the Postprandial Response of Anorexigenic Gut Hormones; Authors: Alexander Kokkinos, Carel W. le Roux, Kleopatra Alexiadou, Nicholas Tentolouris, Royce P. Vincent, et, al. November 2009

Weight Management
Research has repeatedly shown that adopting a Mediterranean-style diet pattern can aid in weight loss and weight management. Recently, a research team from the Second University of Naples reported that people with type-2 diabetes who followed a Mediterranean-style diet pattern not only lost significant amounts of weight, but also reduced their need for anti-hyperglycemic drug therapy.

The team recruited 215 overweight volunteers with newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes and randomly assigned them to consume either a Mediterranean-style diet or a low-fat diet (less than 30% of total calories from fat). After four years, the data shows that the group assigned the Mediterranean-style diet had greater weight loss and larger reduction in body mass index than the group assigned a low-fat diet. The data also shows that after the four-year period, only 44% of participants in the Mediterranean-style diet group required anti-hyperglycemic drug therapy, compared to 70% in the low-fat diet group.

The researchers added that consuming monounsaturated fats, found in olive products, nuts, legumes and some vegetables, is thought to increase insulin sensitivity and may explain the link between consuming the Mediterranean-style diet and the reduced need for anti-hyperglycemic drug treatment.
(Download Study-PDF:172 KB)
SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 151; 306-314; Effects of a Mediterranean-Style Diet on the Need for Antihyperglycemic Drug Therapy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes; Authors: K. Esposito, M.I. Maiorino, M. Ciotola, C. Di Palo, et al.