Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The Mediterranean diet: science and practice.

Walter C Willett1

  • 1Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. walter.willett@channing.harvard.edu

Public Health Nutrition
|March 4, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Adopting elements of the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, fruits, and vegetables, can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This dietary pattern offers substantial health benefits for individuals worldwide.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Fruits, vegetables, and cancer prevention: turmoil in the produce section.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute·2010
Same author

Alcohol intake and risk of coronary heart disease in younger, middle-aged, and older adults.

Circulation·2010
Same author

A prospective study of dietary fat consumption and endometriosis risk.

Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2010
Same author

Reproducibility of plasma and urine biomarkers among premenopausal and postmenopausal women from the Nurses' Health Studies.

Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·2010
Same author

Intake of fiber and nuts during adolescence and incidence of proliferative benign breast disease.

Cancer causes & control : CCC·2010
Same author

Childhood size and life course weight characteristics in association with the risk of incident type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes care·2010

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • The Mediterranean diet, characterized by high olive oil consumption, was associated with low coronary heart disease rates.
  • Traditional Mediterranean diets are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review research on the Mediterranean diet's health impacts.
  • To highlight the benefits of adopting Mediterranean dietary patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Review of personal perspectives and international research.
  • Analysis of epidemiologic and controlled feeding studies.
  • Examination of the Nurses' Health Study data.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats improve lipid profiles (LDL, triglycerides, HDL), especially in insulin-resistant individuals.
  • Trans fats are strongly linked to heart disease risk, while healthy fats are inversely associated.
  • Dietary patterns consistent with the Mediterranean diet can prevent over 80% of coronary heart disease, 70% of stroke, and 90% of type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions:

  • Both observational and experimental studies confirm the health benefits of Mediterranean diets.
  • Individuals can significantly improve health outcomes by incorporating Mediterranean diet principles.