Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating.

doi:10.1093/ajcn/61.6.1402S

Paper

Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating.

Published Jun 1, 1995 · W. Willett, F. Sacks, A. Trichopoulou

The American journal of clinical nutrition

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2,162

Citations

59

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Abstract

We present a food pyramid that reflects Mediterranean dietary traditions, which historically have been associated with good health. This Mediterranean diet pyramid is based on food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s, where adult life expectancy was among the highest in the world and rates of coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and other diet-related chronic diseases were among the lowest. Work in the field or kitchen resulted in a lifestyle that included regular physical activity and was associated with low rates of obesity. The diet is characterized by abundant plant foods (fruit, vegetables, breads, other forms of cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds), fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts, normally with meals. This diet is low in saturated fat (< or = 7-8% of energy), with total fat ranging from < 25% to > 35% of energy throughout the region. The pyramid describes a dietary pattern that is attractive for its famous palatability as well as for its health benefits.

Highly Cited

Study Snapshot

The Mediterranean diet pyramid, based on 1960s Cretan, Greek, and southern Italian food patterns, promotes good health, longevity, and low rates of chronic diseases through abundant plant foods, olive oil, and moderate consumption of fish, poultry, and wine.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Paper

Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating.

References

Citations

Low Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Poor Socioeconomic Status and Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Low Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with poorer health-related quality of life in disadvantaged communities, with factors like age, daily physical activity, education, and waist circumference playing a role.

Modifiable Lifestyle Risk Factors and Strategies for Slowing the Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Smoking, physical inactivity, prolonged sunlight exposure, and certain medications can increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration, while a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk.

Mediterranean diet improves liver health but does not protect against azoxymethane-induced colon tumorigenesis compared to Western diet in A/J mice.

The Mediterranean diet improves liver health but does not protect against colon tumorigenesis in mice, with male mice showing higher sensitivity to azoxymethane-induced hepatotoxicity and mortality.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and colorectal cancer risk: a large case control study in the Moroccan population.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (score 6-9) is associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk in Moroccan adults.

Changes in Sexual Functioning in Women with Severe Obesity After Bariatric Surgery: Impact of Postoperative Adherence to Mediterranean Diet

Bariatric surgery significantly improves female sexual function, with adherence to a Mediterranean diet enhancing these benefits during the postoperative period.