Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The Mediterranean Diet pp 19–26Cite as

Mechanisms of Action and Effects on Diseases

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 1980 Accesses

Abstract

A Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritidies, asthma, atopy and allergic rhinitis, metabolic syndrome, and overall mortality. It has also demonstrated efficacy for obesity prevention and weight loss [1–3]. A framework to help patients conceptualize a MedDiet’s benefits obtained from the favorable biological effects of its many healthy foods and its general avoidance of unhealthy foods is outlined in this chapter (Table 3.1).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Sofi F, Cesari F, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and health status: meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008;337:a1344.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Serra-Majem L, Roman B, Estruch R. Scientific evidence of interventions using the Mediterranean diet: a systematic review. Nutr Rev. 2006;64(2 Pt 2):S27–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Martinez-Gonzalez MA, Bes-Rastrollo M, Serra-Majem L, Lairon D, Estruch R, Trichopoulou A. Mediterranean food pattern and the primary prevention of chronic disease: recent developments. Nutr Rev. 2009;67 Suppl 1:S111–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Dietary guidelines for Americans. 2010. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm. Accessed 1 Jan 2011.

  5. Fidanza F, Alberti A, Lanti M, Menotti A. Mediterranean Adequacy Index: correlation with 25-year mortality from coronary heart disease in the Seven Countries Study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2004;14(5):254–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fung TT, Malik V, Rexrode KM, Manson JE, Willett WC, Hu FB. Sweetened beverage consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(4):1037–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Fung TT, Rexrode KM, Mantzoros CS, Manson JE, Willett WC, Hu FB. Mediterranean diet and incidence of and mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke in women. Circulation. 2009;119(8):1093–100. Erratum in: Circulation. 2009;119(12):e379.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Harriss LR, English DR, Powles J, Giles GG, Tonkin AM, Hodge AM, Brazionis L, O’Dea K. Dietary patterns and cardiovascular mortality in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86(1):221–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Knoops KT, de Groot LC, Kromhout D, Perrin AE, Moreiras-Varela O, Menotti A, van Staveren WA. Mediterranean diet, lifestyle factors, and 10-year mortality in elderly European men and women: the HALE project. JAMA. 2004;292(12):1433–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Mitrou PN, Kipnis V, Thiébaut AC, Reedy J, Subar AF, Wirfält E, et al. Mediterranean dietary pattern and prediction of all-cause mortality in a US population: results from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(22):2461–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Trichopoulou A, Costacou T, Bamia C, Trichopoulos D. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and survival in a Greek population. N Engl J Med. 2003;348(26):2599–608.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Trichopoulou A, Bamia C, Trichopoulos D. Anatomy of health effects of Mediterranean diet: Greek EPIC prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2009;338:b2337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Waijers PM, Ocké MC, van Rossum CT, Peeters PH, Bamia C, Chloptsios Y, et al. Dietary patterns and survival in older Dutch women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83(5):1170–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Trichopoulou A, Kouris-Blazos A, Wahlqvist ML, Gnardellis C, Lagiou P, Polychronopoulos E, et al. Diet and overall survival in elderly people. BMJ. 1995;311(7018):1457–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Osler M, Schroll M. Diet and mortality in a cohort of elderly people in a north European community. Int J Epidemiol. 1997;26(1):155–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. de Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin JL, Monjaud I, Boucher P, Mamelle N. Mediterranean dietary pattern in a randomized trial: prolonged survival and possible reduced cancer rate. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158(11):1181–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kouris-Blazos A, Gnardellis C, Wahlqvist ML, Trichopoulos D, Lukito W, Trichopoulou A. Are the advantages of the Mediterranean diet transferable to other populations? A cohort study in Melbourne, Australia. Br J Nutr. 1999;82(1):57–61.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lasheras C, Fernandez S, Patterson AM. Mediterranean diet and age with respect to overall survival in institutionalized, nonsmoking elderly people. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(4):987–92.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Trichopoulou A, Bamia C, Trichopoulos D. Mediterranean diet and survival among patients with coronary heart disease in Greece. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165(8):929–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Sandin S, Lagiou A, Mucci L, Wolk A, Weiderpass E, Adami HO. Mediterranean dietary pattern and mortality among young women: a cohort study in Sweden. Br J Nutr. 2006;96(2):384–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Willett WC. The Mediterranean diet: science and practice. Public Health Nutr. 2006; 9(1A):105–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Boulder Medical Center, 2750 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado, USA

    Eric Zacharias M.D. (Chairman)

Authors
  1. Eric Zacharias M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Zacharias, E. (2012). Mechanisms of Action and Effects on Diseases. In: The Mediterranean Diet. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3326-2_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3326-2_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3325-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3326-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation