Mediterranean Diet Officially Proven to Decrease Risk of Heart Disease

Could there be a more perfect ending to American Heart Month 2013?

Research coming from Spain released on February 25, 2013 is one of the first studies in history to provide gold-standard evidence of the effectiveness of a dietary change on heart disease.

Until now, little substantial evidence supported the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet (or any dietary change for that matter); regardless, this diet has been a go-to for many of those suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease because of the low incidence of heart disease in the natives who consume this diet.

In a recent study from Spain, researchers found that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the rate of major cardiovascular events (events that cause damage to the heart such as heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death) by almost 30% in people who are at high risk. Those who are high risk have one or more of the risk factors that contribute to these types of events including diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.

Researchers assigned 7,447 individuals (mixed male/female, ages 55-80) to one of three diets. The first diet was a Mediterranean diet with additional extra-virgin olive oil, the second a Mediterranean diet with additional mixed nuts, and the third a control diet in which the participants were encouraged to reduce the intake of fats. Participants were expected to follow these diets for 5 years.

After an average follow up of 5 years after the start of the study, the diet high in olive oil led to a 28% risk-reduction with similar findings in the group following the diet with mixed nuts. Although some might argue that it was the addition of olive oil or mixed nuts that led to this reduction in risk, authors of the study argue that the main cause was the overall change in the participant’s dietary pattern.

So what exactly is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a diet based on the traditional food/drink of the individuals living around the Mediterranean Sea. Principles of the Mediterranean Diet include:

1. Using olive oil in place of plant or animal-based fats/oils

Avoiding the use of saturated fats such as butter and cream

2. Consuming fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and legumes

Also, avoiding the consumption of fruit with main meals

3. Consuming fish/seafood, poultry and lean meats >2 times a week

Avoiding the consumption of red meat more than 2-3 times a month

4. Using spices and herbs to flavor meals instead of salt

5. Using dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt in moderate amounts

When consuming dairy, choosing low-fat options

6. Drinking red wine in moderation (1 4oz serving/day if approved by your doctor) 

What else can help to decrease risk of cardiovascular events?

The Center for Disease Control recommends the following lifestyle changes to help prevent heard disease:

• Maintaining a healthy weight/body fat percentage
• Overweight and obesity increase your risk for heart disease
• Exercising regularly
• Current recommendations from the Surgeon General recommends moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week
• Monitor your blood pressure 
• High blood pressure is also known as “The Silent Killer” due to its lack of symptoms. Don’t let it catch you off guard, get it checked on a regular basis
• Avoid smoking
• Smoking has been shown to be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease
• Avoid consuming too much alcohol
• Current recommendations for alcohol consumption in a healthy individual state no more than 2 drinks/day for a male and no more than 1 drink/day for a female
• Monitor your cholesterol
• Cholesterol should be checked at least once every 5 years