The Mediterranean Diet & Obesity

The World Health Organization warns that the United States is experiencing an obesity epidemic. However, obesity isn't just an American issue. WHO estimates that 1 billion people are obese worldwide. The Mediterranean diet, rich in obesity-fighting foods, may hold the key to reducing obesity rates around the world. Obesity can lead to serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Unfortunately, one of the most popular approaches to combating obesity, the low-fat diet, has largely failed, according to the May 2003 issue of "Obesity Reviews". The Mediterranean diet provides a viable alternative to the traditional low-fat diet approach.

The Diet

The American Heart Association reports that because 16 nations sit atop the Mediterranean that there are several varieties of the Mediterranean diet, although many commonalities exist between the different countries. All Mediterranean diet variations tend to be heavy in healthy foods like whole grains, omega 3-rich fish, olive oil, and unprocessed vegetables, and low in foods like fast food, sugar, and high-fat meat.

Risk

According to Science Daily, the Mediterranean diet is an effective diet for long-term weight loss and reduces the risk of developing obesity in the first place. Scientists aren't exactly sure of the weight-lowering mechanisms behind the Mediterranean diet, but Science Daily reports that fresh fruit and vegetable intake plays a role.

Function

Fresh fruits and vegetables, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, seem to fuel weight loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Because they're low in calories and high in fiber, fruits and vegetables are a key part of any weight loss program, the CDC reports. Also, the Mediterranean diet includes nuts like walnuts and almonds as a regular part of the diet. According to research published in the September 2008 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition" by Richard D. Mattes and his colleagues at Purdue University, nut intake is commonly associated with lower body weight.

Fat Controversy

The Mediterranean diet is relatively high in overall fat, according to The American Heart Association, making it inconsistent with their dietary guidelines and recommendations from organizations like the USDA. The May 2003 issue of "Obesity Reviews" concluded that low-fat diets are largely ineffective as a dietary treatment for obesity. Half of the fat intake in Mediterranean countries tends to be of the polyunsaturated variety, making it more healthy for hearts and waists, according to the January 2004 issue of "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism." The primary sources of fat in the Mediterranean diet include nuts, vegetables oils, fatty fish and eggs.

Metabolic Syndrome

The Mediterranean diet may improve risk factors related to obesity such as blood pressure and inflammation levels, according to a September 2004 JAMA study by Katherine Esposito, M.D., and her colleagues at the Second University of Naples. The researchers followed a group of 180 obese patients for two years and found that those that ate a Mediterranean diet had lower blood pressure and insulin resistance than those following a control diet.