[Mediterranean diet and prevention of non-communicable diseases: scientific evidences]

Epidemiological studies showed that the Mediterranean Diet represents a healthy food model in the maintenance of the state of health and in the improvement of the quality of life. The aim of this study was to define the relation between the Mediterranean Diet and the state of health, particularly the role in the prevention of the non-communicable diseases. A systematic literature review was made, analyzing clinical trials published on PubMed from January 2005 to September 2008 and using, separately or in combination, the key words: "Mediterranean Diet", "Health", "Prevention", "Diabetes", "Lipoproteins", "Cardiovascular Diseases", "Cancer." A total of 16 articles were selected. The studies included 101 to 25623 caucasian participants, of both genders, age between 18 and 80 years. Results were analyzed for the effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Cancer; Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Diseases, in terms of primary and secondary prevention. The Mediterranean Diet showed benefits on the incidence of cancer in healthy subjects, on the metabolic syndrome both in primary prevention that secondary, modifying numerous variables and about cardiovascular diseases, the Mediterranean Diet reduced the risk of relapse and the mortality by acute coronary syndromes and other cardiovascular causes in high risk patients. First of all the Mediterranean Diet must strongly be considered a correlated food model to the style of life, therefore it need further experimental research to validate the effects of Mediterranean Diet on the state of health.