The Mediet Project

Preliminary evidence from a case control study of healthy postmenopausal women living in Palermo, Sicily, is presented to investigate the potential impact of a traditional Mediterranean diet on the risk of developing breast cancer. Of the 230 women who fulfilled specific eligibility criteria, 115 were enrolled in the study based on serum testosterone values equal to or greater than the median population value (0.14 microg/ml). Women were then individually randomized into a diet intervention (n = 58) and a control (n = 55) group. Women in the intervention group attended a weekly "cooking course" for 1 year, being trained by professional chefs in the correct use of the natural ingredients of the traditional Mediterranean diet, including whole cereals, legumes, seeds, fish, cruciferous vegetables, and many others. The intervention group was subsequently instructed to follow the learned diet at home, while the control group was only advised to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, as recommended by WHO. The following measures were taken at the beginning, middle, and end of the study: (a) fasting blood and 12-hour urine samples to assay defined hormonal endpoints; (b) height, weight, and circumference of the waist and hip; and (c) a food frequency and computerized 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. After 1 year, both the control and the intervention groups showed satisfactory compliance rates (81 and 85%, respectively). In addition, preliminary results so far obtained reveal an unequivocal trend towards weight loss, a strong reduction in cholesterol levels, and a psychophysical feeling of well-being by women adopting the Mediterranean diet. The study is currently ongoing to verify the association of changes in serum and urine hormone levels and breast cancer risk in the intervention group.