Diets come and diets go. Some seem unhealthy, but they promise that much desired huge weight loss over a short time. Others simply promise the world. Meanwhile, the Mediterranean diet has long been suggested in European studies to play a beneficial role in health and longevity. At long last, an American trial has been published which goes a long way towards proving it. The promise: follow this diet, live longer. Period!

The study participants included 214,284 men and 166,012 women in what was known as the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) Diet and Health Study. The study prospectively followed this large group of people and documented all causes of death along the way. During a ten year period, from 1995 to 2005,  27,999 deaths occurred. During the first 5 years of followup, 5985 study participants died of cancer and 3451 of cardiovascular disease. A 9-point score was used to assess conformity with the Mediterranean diet consisting of vegetables, legumes,fruits, nuts, whole grains, fish, healthy mono-unsaturated fat to saturated fat ratio, moderate alcohol intake, and low dairy and meat consumption.

Results were very impressive. In men, the Mediterranean diet was associated with an approximate 20% reduction of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. In women, there was a 12% decreased risk of cancer death and 20% less risk of dying overall during the study period. For smokers, the good news is that the reduced risk reduction was equal to that of non-smokers. So, if you must indulge in tobacco, here's a way to help yourself out anyway.

In the medical and statistical analysis world, this study goes a long way towards proving what other studies have been suggesting for a long time. Eat a healthy Mediterranean diet and live longer. Period.

View all Dr Steven Vasilev's articles

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About the Author:
Dr Vasilev is a board certified gynecologic oncologist.

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