 | According to New Study: Mediterranean Diet Better |
| 7/6/2006 |
| SACRAMENTO, CA, July 6 /CNW/ - In what's being hailed as one of the
world's largest and longest dietary intervention studies, early results
indicate that the so-called Mediterranean diet may reduce the risks of heart
attack and cardiovascular disease by up to one half.
In an article entitled "Effects of a Mediterranean-Style Diet on
Cardiovascular Risk Factors," reported in the July 4 issue of the Annals of
Internal Medicine, the researchers note that high risk participants who
improved their diet with vegetables, legumes, olive oil or nuts, especially
walnuts, showed lower blood pressure, improved lipid profiles, decreased
insulin resistance and reduced concentrations of inflammatory molecules
compared with those allocated to a low-fat diet (American Heart Association
guidelines).
"The early results of this clinical trial indicate that the Mediterranean
diet pattern is ideal for cardiovascular disease prevention. What we knew
before was scattered pieces of evidence from prospective studies. The primary
endpoint of this long-term study will be a composite outcome of cardiovascular
events (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke). The results
to date make us believe, long term, the Mediterranean diet enriched with
walnuts or olive oil will indeed reduce heart disease. The size, duration and
clinical basis of this study make it landmark," said Dr. Emilio Ros, Hospital
Clinic of Barcelona, and PREDIMED study co-investigator. |
|
