Colleagues, the following is FYI and does not necessarily reflect my own
opinion. I have no further knowledge of the topic.
------------------------
Public release date: 7-Apr-2005
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/bmj-mdl040605.php
Contact: Emma Dickinson
[log in to unmask]
44-207-383-6529
BMJ-British Medical Journal
Mediterranean diet leads to longer life
Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective
cohort study BMJ Online First
The Mediterranean diet is associated with longer life expectancy among
elderly Europeans, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.
The Mediterranean diet is characterised by a high intake of vegetables,
legumes, fruits, and cereals; a moderate to high intake of fish; a low
intake of saturated fats, but high intake of unsaturated fats,
particularly olive oil; a low intake of dairy products and meat; and a
modest intake of alcohol, mostly as wine.
Current evidence suggests that such a diet may be beneficial to health.
The study involved over 74,000 healthy men and women, aged 60 or more,
living in nine European countries. Information on diet, lifestyle,
medical history, smoking, physical activity levels, and other relevant
factors was recorded. Adherence to a modified Mediterranean diet was
measured using a recognised scoring scale.
A higher dietary score was associated with a lower overall death rate. A
two point increase corresponded to an 8% reduction in mortality, while a
three or four point increase was associated with a reduction of total
mortality by 11% or 14% respectively.
So, for example, a healthy man aged 60 who adheres well to the diet
(dietary score of 6-9) can expect to live about one year longer than a
man of the same age who does not adhere to the diet.
The association was strongest in Greece and Spain, probably because
people in these countries follow a genuinely Mediterranean diet, say the
authors.
Adherence to a Mediterranean type diet, which relies on plant foods and
unsaturated fats, is associated with a significantly longer life
expectancy, and may be particularly appropriate for elderly people, who
represent a rapidly increasing group in Europe, they conclude.
--
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < [log in to unmask] >
"Ask the Parkinson Dietitian" http://www.parkinson.org/
"Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease"
"Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy"
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/
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