Wed, 22 Sep 2004 16:39:35 +0200 in article <2rdgocF18gmgtU1@uni-berlin.de>

Not really. Many studies have developed a scoring system for measuring the
adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The details of the diet varies among
different Mediaterranean countries, but there are certain common factors.
The traditional diet of Crete is regarded as healthiest of all variations of
Mediterranean diets and therefore should perhaps be used as a general
guideline.

See for example

Pitsavos C, Panagiotakos DB, Chrysohoou C, Papaioannou I,
Papadimitriou L, Tousoulis D, Stefanadis C, Toutouzas P.
The Adoption of Mediterranean Diet Attenuates the Development of Acute
Coronary Syndromes in People with the Metabolic Syndrome.
Nutr J. 2003 Mar 19;2(1):1.
PMID: 12740043 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
<http://www.nutritionj.com/content/2/1/1>

An excerpt summarizinging the common features of Mediterranean diets:

       "... The Mediterranean dietary pattern consists of:
       
       (a) daily consumption: of non refined cereals and
    products (whole grain bread, pasta, brown rice, etc),
    vegetables (2 – 3 servings/day), fruits (6
    servings/day), olive oil (as the main added lipid) and
    dairy products (1 – 2 servings/day),
       
       (b) weekly consumption: of fish (4–5
       servings/week), poultry (3 – 4 servings/week), olives,
       pulses, and nuts (3 servings/week), potatoes, eggs and
       sweets (3 – 4 servings/week)
       
       and
       
       monthly consumption: of
       red meat and meat products (4 – 5 servings/month). It is,
       also, characterized by moderate consumption of wine (1 – 2
       wineglasses/day) and high monounsaturated: saturated fat
       ratio (> 2). This dietary pyramid was suggested by a
       Harvard-led group with substantial input from Greek
       scientists [13]. ..."

Evidence-based nutrition
Dimitrios TrichopoulosMD, Pagona Lagiou, and Antonia TrichopoulouMD
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 9 Issue Suppl. Page S4  - October 2000
doi:10.1046/j.1440-6047.2000.00174.x>Vol. 9 Issue Suppl.
<URL:http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1440-6047.2000.00174.x/full/>

   "Overall, the traditional Mediterranean diet may be
   thought of as having eight components:
   
   (i) a high monounsaturated to saturated fat ratio;
   
   (ii) moderate ethanol consumption;
   
   (iii) high consumption of legumes;
   
   (iv) high consumption of cereals (including bread);
   
   (v) high consumption of fruits;
   
   (vi) high consumption of vegetables;
   
   (vii) low consumption of meat and meat products; and
   
   (viii) moderate consumption of milk and dairy products."

   [...]

   Three studies have recently been published evaluating the role of the
   Mediterranean diet as operationally defined through the eight
   components discussed previously. The first of these studies was
   conducted in Greece, 2 the second in Denmark 33 and the third in
   Australia. 34 All have shown that the Mediterranean diet has
   beneficial, substantial and statistically significant effects on
   longevity."

Traditional Mediterranean (Greek & S.Italy) & Asian (Japan) Food Patterns of
the 1960's.
<URL:http://www.healthyeatingclub.com/info/articles/foodcult/mediterr-asia.htm>

   "The Cretan diet was one of the highest fat diets in the study
   (40% energy as fat, but low in saturated fat and high in
   monounsaturated fat), but the Cretan Greeks eating it came out
   with some of the lowest rates of CHD and all-cause mortality
   and consequently had the longest life expectancies in the world
   at that time. They were even living longer than mainland Greeks
   and the Japanese.

   [...]
   
   The Cretan diet was also relatively low in carbohydrates (45%
   energy) with most of the carbohydrates consumed being of low
   glycaemic index. Even though the diet was high in fat, it
   paradoxically had a low energy density because of the large
   volume of plant foods consumed.
   
   The Cretan diet in the 1960's consisted of a high intake of
   vegetables (360g/day i.e. 2-3 cups/day), especially green leafy
   types, high intakes of legumes (30g/day), nuts (30g/day), fruit
   (460g/day i.e. 2-3 fruits /day) and wholegrain cereals
   (450g/day i.e. 8 slices of bread/day).
   
   Vegetables were used as an integral part of meals, not served
   “on the side”. Breads were made by allowing dough to ferment
   slowly, resulting in a lower glycaemic index. In contrast, many
   breads we eat today use the rapid dough fermentation procedure
   resulting in breads with a higher glycaemic index.
   
   They also had moderate intakes of fish (40g/day), alcohol
   (20g/day, with meals i.e. 2 standard drinks/day) and low
   intakes of red/white meat (35g/day) and fermented sheep/goats
   milk products (cheese/yoghurt consumed weekly). Unfermented
   dairy products i.e. fresh sheep/goats milk was reserved for
   children. The average daily intakes of some of these foods
   converted to the real-life situation of weekly consumption,
   would be: a 200g serving of fish twice a week, a 200g serving
   of chicken/pork once a week, a serving of lamb once a week or
   less, and bean/lentil soups or casseroles about 2-3 times a
   week.
   
   The Cretan diet was also low in animal fats (butter/margarine
   rarely eaten) and saturated fat  (8% energy), but high in total
   fat (40% energy) and monounsaturated fat (25% energy) because
   the major source of fat was olive oil (about 4
   tablespoons/day), which was nearly always consumed as 'extra
   virgin' or the first pressing of the olive and nearly always
   consumed with plant food.
   
   It was also high in omega-3 linolenic acid (probably about 1%
   energy intake) due to the high intake of nuts (especially
   walnuts), wild greens (especially purslane) and legumes.
   
   Furthermore, animals (sheep, goats, pigs, chickens) were not
   always fed on grains (which is relatively rich in n-6 fats),
   but were also allowed to graze on wild plants and herbs,
   resulting in fat deposits which were higher in n-3 fats. So the
   little meat they ate tended to be leaner and the fat of these
   animals was higher in n-3 fats and probably phytochemicals.

   The diet also had a favourable n-6: n-3 ratio (<5:1) due to the
   absence of polyunsaturated oils in the diet, the high intake of
   olive oil and foods high in n-3 fatty acids (including fish).
   In the 7 countries study, Cretan men had the lowest incidences
   of CHD and cancer, followed by Japan. Even though the fat
   content of the two diets was very different (40% vs. 10% total
   energy respectively) both were rich in omega-3 fatty acids
   (Simpoulos Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes & Ess Fatty Acids 1999;
   60: 421-9). Cretan men were found to have 3-fold higher intakes
   of n-3 linolenic compared with the cohort from the Netherlands
   and 21% lower intakes of n-6 linoleic acid (Sandker et al. Eur
   J Clin Nutr 1993; 47: 201-8).

   [...]
   
   Mediterranean diet and Survival in the Elderly in the 1990's.
   
   Further evidence in support of the Mediterranean food pattern
   of the 1960s has come from three prospective cohort studies
   which described the food habits of people aged 70 and over in
   Greece (Trichopoulou, Kouris-Blazos et al., BMJ 1995; 311
   (7018): 1457-1460), Australia (Kouris-Blazos et al. Br J Nutr,
   1999; 82: 57-61) and Denmark (Osler  & Schroll, Int J Epidem
   1997; 26 (1): 155-9). These cohorts were followed-up 5-6 years
   later to ascertain survival status. The Australian study
   included Greek-born and Anglo-Celtic born elderly living in
   Melbourne.
   
   Subjects with food patterns consistent with the food patterns
   found in Greece in the 1960s had a reduced risk of death by
   about 50%, even as late as 70 years and onwards. Smoking and
   male gender were not significant predictors of mortality. The
   food pattern was defined as follows:

   1) high consumption of vegetables;
   2) high consumption of legumes;
   3) high consumption of fruits;
   4) high consumption of cereals;
   5) low consumption of dairy products;
   6) low consumption of meat and meat products;
   7) moderate ethanol consumption;
   8) high monounsaturated: saturated fat ratio.

   Subjects achieved greater mortality advantage if  they followed
   the entire food pattern, suggesting synergy between food
   groups. To read the full text BMJ paper on the study in Greece
   go to: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/311/7018/1457

Close Adherence to a Traditional Mediterranean Diet Promotes Longevity
Benefits of following the diet long-term appear to increase with age
<URL:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/press06252003.html>

   "The traditional Mediterranean diet features an abundance of
   vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and cereals and regular use
   of olive oil (monounsaturated fats), moderate amounts of fish
   and dairy products (mostly yogurt or cheese), small amounts of
   red meat (low intake of saturated fats) and moderate
   consumption of alcohol, usually in the form of wine and
   consumed at meals."

Mediterranean Diet: More Than Olive Oil
'Divine Mix' Prevents Death From Cancer, Heart Disease
<URL:http://my.webmd.com/content/article/67/80070.htm>

   "When the researchers looked at the individual components of
   the Mediterranean diet, they found no significant decrease in
   death with any one type of food.

   In addition to having olive oil with most meals, the typical
   Mediterranean diet is very high in vegetables, fruits, legumes,
   nuts, and cereals; moderate in fish intake; and has lower
   amounts of meat and dairy than the typical American diet.
   Drinking alcohol is also a frequently practiced dining ritual.

   "God knows what sorts of interactions take place within the
   foods, and we need further research to pinpoint them exactly,"
   Trichopoulos tells WebMD.

   "But typically, people in Greece eat twice as many vegetables
   as Americans -- nearly a pound a day. And you really can't eat
   a pound of vegetables a day unless you have olive oil to make
   them appetizing. My advice is to try to double the amount of
   vegetables and fruits you currently have, and eat more fish,
   legumes, and non-refined cereals."

   While olive oil itself showed little benefit, the researchers
   note a significant reduction in death rates from a higher
   overall ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats. Olive
   oil is among the best sources of monounsaturated fats -- and
   happens to be the main cooking oil in most Mediterranean
   countries -- but other oils frequently consumed by Greeks and
   others surrounding the Mediterranean Sea also contain these
   healthy fats. "

Simopoulos AP.
The Mediterranean diets: What is so special about the diet of Greece?
The scientific evidence.
J Nutr. 2001 Nov;131(11 Suppl):3065S-73S. Review.
PMID: 11694649 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
<URL:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1
1694649&dopt=Abstract>

The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid
<URL:http://www.oldwayspt.org/pyramids/med/p_med.html>
<URL:http://www.e-guana.net/organizations.php3?orgid=61&typeID=193&action=printConten
tItem&itemID=1529>
<URL:http://www.diet-i.com/mediterranean-diet-pyramid.htm>

Mediterranean Diet Guidelines
<URL:http://www.diet-i.com/mediterranean-diet.htm>

Quantum - Mediterranean Diet Guidelines
<URL:http://www.abc.net.au/quantum/stories/meddiet.htm>

Essential Elements of the Mediterranean Diet
<URL:http://www.trincoll.edu/~jvillani/Ingredients.htm>

Cretan diet and food details. Diet and food of Crete island quality,
benefits and cretan food producers
<URL:http://greekproducts.com/greekproducts/cretan.html>

Crete | The Cretan Diet - Cretan cuisine &amp; healthy food - by
CreteTravel.com
http://www.cretetravel.com/Cretan_Diet/Cretan_Diet_1.htm

The Mediterranean Diet
<URL:http://www.cheshire-med.com/services/dietary/nutrinew/mediter.html>

The Mediterranean Diet and Mortality — Olive Oil and Beyond
<URL:http://www.medical-journals.com/r03266b.htm>

Postgraduate Medicine: Understanding the Mediterranean diet
<URL:http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2002/08_02/curtis.htm>

Hearty Diet
<URL:http://www.accessexcellence.org/WN/SUA11/meddiet897.html>

Mediterranean Diets
Francesco Visioli, Ph.D.
Visiting Scientist
<URL:http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w00/mediterr.html>

Yeah, they seem to think that it is low in animal proteins and fats.
I'm not sure that that is accurate.

TC