Mediterranean Diet Cuts Heart Disease Risk, Massive Study Finds

[TotallyOz]

About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals, a large and rigorous new study has found.

The findings, published on The New England Journal of Medicines Web site on Monday, were based on the first major clinical trial to measure the diets effect on heart risks. The magnitude of the diets benefits startled experts. The study ended early, after almost five years, because the results were so clear it was considered unethical to continue.

The diet helped those following it even though they did not lose weight and most of them were already taking statins, or blood pressure or diabetes drugs to lower their heart disease risk.

Really impressive, said Rachel Johnson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. And the really important thing the coolest thing is that they used very meaningful endpoints. They did not look at risk factors like cholesterol or hypertension or weight. They looked at heart attacks and strokes and death. At the end of the day, that is what really matters.

Until now, evidence that the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of heart disease was weak, based mostly on studies showing that people from Mediterranean countries seemed to have lower rates of heart disease a pattern that could have been attributed to factors other than diet.

For full article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/health/mediterranean-diet-can-cut-heart-disease-study-finds.html?hp

[Guest parisrio2000]

I'd like to see a comparison of the Med diet with the paleo diet on this. It could be that the Med diet is successful only because it eliminates certain bad things in the modern diet.

[lookin]

About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals, a large and rigorous new study has found.

As soon as I read this I went out and got a bunch of wine. I'm planning to get the rest of the stuff the very next chance I get.

[AdamSmith]

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and Thou...

Oh well, I'm not so very hungry anyhow!

Richard Armour

[ihpguy]

I'm not sure if the NY TImes coverage of this story is funny, ironic or sad. They have already written on this phenomenon six months ago and for the older article these dietary assumptions were already clearly explained.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/magazine/the-island-where-people-forget-to-die.html?pagewanted=all

Similar to what the older Brasilians here still are eating with bean, whole grains and lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

[TotallyOz]

And, yet another good article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/dining/when-diet-meets-delicious-the-mediterranean-approach.html?src=dayp&_r=0

I agree with you dear Ihp, I think this is known for years. I am moving more and more in this direction in my own life but this is hard to live by if you order fast food often.

My doctor told me I need to loose 100 pounds this year. I have already incorporated many of these things into my diet.

[RA1]

The only sane way to lose 100 pounds in one year is to get rid of your anorexic boy toy.

Best regards,

RA1