The Mediterranean Diet, often equated with the Greek-style of eating, is represented by the combined cuisines of more than 16 Mediterranean countries. The picture of a Mediterranean-style diet -- more an approach to healthy eating than a strict meal plan-type of diet -- includes non-refined carbohydrates, moderate protein consumption consisting primarily of oily fish, goat's milk dairy products and eggs, high quantities of vegetables, fruits and legumes, olive oil used liberally, nuts as snack foods and a daily optional glass or two of wine.
Weight Reduction
Two years on a Mediterranean-style diet resulted in significant health improvements for a group of overweight and obese men, in an Italian study published in the December 2010 "Cardiology Research and Practice." Weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, decreased blood sugar and increased levels of adiponectin -- a hormone secreted by adipose tissue that protects against obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease -- were among the observed effects of the diet. Additionally, the researchers noted that the diet was effective with or without caloric restriction.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Mediterranean Diet improves rheumatoid arthritis symptoms on an equivalent scale to fasting, according to a German study published in the 2010 "Forsch Komplementmed." By promoting production of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract, the diet resulted in decreases in a subjective measurement scale known as the Disease Activity Score. The researchers sought to evaluate the relative effects of the two therapies on levels of beneficial short-chain fatty acids and noted that fasting increased levels of acetic acid, the primary short-chain fatty acid in the colon, while the Mediterranean Diet resulted in lower levels of acetic acid.
Greek Immigrants
An Australian study found the Mediterranean Diet beneficial for reducing risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Citing a low incidence of cardiovascular disease in Greek and Italian immigrants to Australia with Type 2 diabetes, the study sought reveal a possible connection between the Mediterranean Diet and observed health effects. The study evaluated more than 40,000 participants and concluded that the Mediterranean Diet resulted in slightly less incidence of cardiovascular disease in Type 2 diabetics compared to those consuming a non-Mediterranean type diet.
Greek Diet Changes
Emerging problems of obesity and metabolic syndrome -- a condition associated with increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease -- in the Greek population point to a departure from the Mediterranean diet, according to a Greek study published in the February 2010 "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." The study found that close adherence to a traditional Mediterranean diet was associated with less incidence of metabolic syndrome, lower levels of LDL cholesterol -- the bad form of cholesterol -- and improved blood sugar levels.
References
- Pub Med: Long-term effect of mediterranean-style diet and calorie restriction on biomarkers of longevity and oxidative stress in overweight men
- Pub Med: Changes of Intestinal Microflora in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis during Fasting or a Mediterranean Diet
- Pub Med: Does a Mediterranean diet reduce the mortality risk associated with diabetes: Evidence from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
- Pub Med: The protective role of the Mediterranean diet on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a population of Greek obese subjects
- American Heart Association: Mediterranean Diet
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