FROM THE ACADEMY Question of the Month
I Have a Client Who Wants to Follow the Mediterranean Diet—Where Do I Start?
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HE TERM MEDITERRANEAN diet can be used to describe the eating pattern of at least 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, which presents some difficulty in characterizing a Mediterranean diet. Research on the health benefits of a Mediterranean eating pattern date back to the 1950s with the Seven Countries Study that established the Mediterranean diet as a heart-healthy eating pattern based on the traditional foods and cooking styles of this part of the world.1 Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and includes the following among the defining characteristics this pattern: An abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Olive oil as the principal fat, with total fat ranging from less than 25% to over 35% of energy, with saturated fat no more than 7% to 8% of energy. Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt. Twice-weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry; up to 7 eggs per week (including those used in cooking and baking). Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert. Moderate consumption of wine, normally with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women. From a contemporary public health perspective, wine should
This article was written by Eleese Cunningham, RDN, of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Knowledge Center Team, Chicago, IL. Academy members can contact the Knowledge Center by sending an e-mail to [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.06.004
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be considered optional and avoided when consumption would put the individual or others at risk. Red meat a few times per month. Regular physical activity at a level that promotes a healthy weight, fitness, and well-being.2
Recently, a large, randomized clinical trial provided further evidence to support a Mediterranean diet to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. Investigators in Spain randomized 7,447 people at high risk for cardiovascular disease to one of three diets: A Mediterranean diet supplemented with extravirgin olive oil (4 tablespoons per day); a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts (30 grams per day of walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds); or a control diet for which people were advised to lower their intake of dietary fat. Participants in the control group decreased their fat intake by 2%, resulting in a diet with 37% of calories from fat (exceeding the
I Have a Client Who Wants to Follow the Mediterranean Diet—Where Do I Start?
T
HE TERM MEDITERRANEAN diet can be used to describe the eating pattern of at least 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, which presents some difficulty in characterizing a Mediterranean diet. Research on the health benefits of a Mediterranean eating pattern date back to the 1950s with the Seven Countries Study that established the Mediterranean diet as a heart-healthy eating pattern based on the traditional foods and cooking styles of this part of the world.1 Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and includes the following among the defining characteristics this pattern: An abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Olive oil as the principal fat, with total fat ranging from less than 25% to over 35% of energy, with saturated fat no more than 7% to 8% of energy. Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt. Twice-weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry; up to 7 eggs per week (including those used in cooking and baking). Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert. Moderate consumption of wine, normally with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women. From a contemporary public health perspective, wine should
This article was written by Eleese Cunningham, RDN, of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Knowledge Center Team, Chicago, IL. Academy members can contact the Knowledge Center by sending an e-mail to [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.06.004
1312
be considered optional and avoided when consumption would put the individual or others at risk. Red meat a few times per month. Regular physical activity at a level that promotes a healthy weight, fitness, and well-being.2
Recently, a large, randomized clinical trial provided further evidence to support a Mediterranean diet to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. Investigators in Spain randomized 7,447 people at high risk for cardiovascular disease to one of three diets: A Mediterranean diet supplemented with extravirgin olive oil (4 tablespoons per day); a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts (30 grams per day of walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds); or a control diet for which people were advised to lower their intake of dietary fat. Participants in the control group decreased their fat intake by 2%, resulting in a diet with 37% of calories from fat (exceeding the
