Since obesity is such as huge epidemic everyone is always
wondering what they should eat and what is considered healthy. I came across this research that studied diet
in an Italian population group (1). They
examined 131 subjects and assessed their diet by a journal. This number was obtained by first having 300
men and women volunteer for the study.
They then eliminated that number by the following criteria; vegan or
vegetarian regimes, BMI range from 18.5-25, absence of acute or chronic
diseases or metabolic disorders, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, no drugs
(anti-inflammatory medication) and no vitamin or mineral supplements (1). Blood samples were also analyzed.
The big question of the day is what is the Mediterranean diet? Well, the Mediterranean diet consists of high consumption of fruits and vegetables, olive oil, low consumption of meat and dairy products, and moderate consumption of wine. The important note is that most of the time, diet is thought to be something you do for a while and you sacrifice some things that you like because they are not healthy. The promising thing about this finding is that it is a well- balanced diet with things that taste good and it is not a diet, but a lifestyle. So, it is something that is likely to last.
As quoted from this paper, “Several studies have evidenced
the correlation between the Mediterranean diet and longevity [7, 8, and 9]. Sofi et al. [10] have shown that a greater
adherence to the MD is associated with a significant improvement in health
status, as seen by a significant reduction in overall mortality (9%), mortality
from cardiovascular disease (9%), incidence of mortality from cancer (6%), and
incidence of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease (13%)” (1). This is also an important finding because
these are also issues that affect the American population as well as all other
populations around the world.
From this research, we can conclude that the Mediterranean
diet has some very significant health benefits and if we implement some of
these dietary choices into our own diets, we can only benefit from them.
1.
Azzini, Elena; Polito, Angela; Fumagalli,
Alessandro; Intorre, Federica; Venneria, Eugenia; Durazzo, Alessandra;
Zaccaria, Maria; Ciarapica, Donatella; Foddai, Maria S.; Mauro, Beatrice;
Raguzzini, Anna; Palomba, Lara; Maiani, Giuseppe. “Mediterranean Diet Effect: an Italian
Picture.” National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, Via Ardeatina 546,
00178 Rome, Italy. Nutrition Journal
2011, 10:125
I recently read an article by NPR reviewing the Mediterranean diet. Not as to whether it is more potent or less potent then other diets, rather what are its origins, and remarkably, this diet contains a very high socioeconomic background.
ReplyDeleteThe article starts off with the statement that not only are Americans getting fatter, so too is everyone, including the Mediterranean people. The research looked into Pioppi, the city that "created" the Mediterranean diet. Originally the Mediterranean diet garnered interest from Ancel Keys who arrived during World War II and took note of how there were fewer people with heart disease then the rest of Europe or the United states. One thing that was left out of this observation is that this details was noted in the poor. The locals didn't eat this way by choice- rather it was all that they could afford.
Modern day Italy is now tipping the scales as one of the fattest nations of Europe with nearly 40% of their youth aged 12-16 being obese. What once was standard affordable peasant fair is exceedingly expensive, and what was considered luxury items-meat, sugar, fat- is now cheap, popular, and exceedingly common. For the first time in history children's life expectancy is shorter then their parents.
It appears that there are several levels to the obesity epidemic, and junk food is winning on affordability, accessibility, and advertise-ability. As the end of the article quotes, it appears that "These days, it seems, you have to be wealthier to eat like a poor Mediterranean peasant.", and that teaching the populace and finding a diet are only the first steps.
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/14/137823222/mediterraneans-abandon-their-famous-diet
Both Gloria's article and Kirsten's comment made me think about the French! Although the obesity rates in Italy may be rising, France maintains one of the lowest obesity rates in the world. I also discovered something known as the "French paradox". Despite a diet overwhelmed with saturated fats from cheese, pastries and cream, people in France are slimmer and have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than Americans. There are several lifestyle differences that account for these enticing statistics. The first is their moderate consumption of red wine with meals. Red wine has vascular protective effects due to lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 inhibition by procyanidins and anti-oxidation by resveratrol. They also consume substantial quantities of olive oil, onions and garlic, which are high in monounsaturated fats, and sulfur compounds that ward off cancer, respectively.
ReplyDeleteThe key to the enviable physiques of French women may not lie as much in what they eat, but how they eat it. The French exhibit very different eating habits from Americans. For instance, their standard meals are about 25% smaller than those typically served at American fast food restaurants and ice cream parlors, with American Chinese take-out meals engulfing French meals by 75%! We also get suckered into bargain prices, "all-you-can-eat", and two-for-one deals that inspire us to consume more food than we need. The French eat three meals a day and do not skip them, taking up to two hours for lunch. They eat slowly and enjoy their food, allowing their bodies to properly signal satiety. It takes food 20 minutes to reach the first part of the small intestine, which is sometimes how much time American's allot themselves for a standard meal. If we took the time to make more conscientious choices and savor our food, American's could decrease their obesity rates, cardiovascular disease rates, and lower their stress levels as well. In the words of the French, "bon appetit!"
http://www.canadianliving.com/health/nutrition/diet_secrets_from_countries_with_low_obesity_rates.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22133615
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21422743
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mindful-eating/200903/mindful-eating-the-french-paradox