The Mediterranean diet benefits not only people with metabolic syndrome but also people with a large waist, high cholesterol or triglycerides, or abnormal blood sugar or blood pressure, according to research published on 15 March 2011 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The analysis combined the results of 50 studies of the Mediterranean diet, covering about half a million people in all.
Metabolic syndrome is becoming more common worldwide, alongside the rise in diabetes and obesity, and it is now a major health problem. It is one of the main causes, directly or indirectly, of heart and blood vessel disease, and it brings personal, financial and social problems. Fighting it therefore matters for both health and society.
The Mediterranean diet is based on monounsaturated fats, especially olives and olive oil, with daily fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat milk and dairy products, moderate amounts of fish and nuts, little red meat, and not too much alcohol.
It is one of the best-known and most studied diets, linked to fewer deaths from all causes and a lower risk of heart and blood vessel disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. It also helps a great deal with belly fat, high blood fats, and abnormal blood sugar and blood pressure, which are also important factors in heart failure and diabetes.
The diet works through its balanced ingredients, especially olive oil, fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and through the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances it is rich in.
Following a healthy eating pattern like the Mediterranean diet, keeping a healthy lifestyle and staying physically active appear to improve general health markedly and help avoid metabolic syndrome. One of the diet's main advantages is its low cost as a way to prevent heart disease, and it is easy for many peoples to follow, whatever their culture and eating habits.
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