As research continues to confirm the health benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet, many natives of the region are, ironically, turning from their traditional eating habits to a diet that could work against their long-term health.

Over the years, studies have shown that generally Mediterranean countries, especially Greece and southern Italy, have had a lower incidence of both heart disease and most cancers than northern Europe and North America. For example, research in the early 1960s found at least four to five times more deaths from heart disease in the U.S. than in Greece, and about three times more deaths from major cancers.

Experts were surprised at first by the good health of Mediterranean people despite relatively high fat consumption. Only as research progressed did they realize that the types of fat in the Mediterranean diet were quite different from those of Northern Europe and North America. The latter are often high in saturated fat, which seems to promote development of both cancer and heart disease. Mediterranean diets, on the other hand, are low in saturated fat and have a higher proportion of omega-3 fats (found in fatty seafood and certain plant foods). Olive oil is the primary source of fat, and some studies suggest that some of the natural phyto-chemicals it contains may inhibit early stages of cancer. Differences in types of fat in certain diets may have provided an early clue about the traditional Mediterranean diet’s impact on health, but researchers now say it is important to look at this diet in its entirety. Studies show that compared to typical U.S. eating habits, the traditional Mediterranean diet included more fish and olive oil, much more fruit, vegetables and beans — and much less meat. Dietary fiber was about four times the current U.S. intake, and consumption of antioxide vitamins A, C and E was high as well.

The Mediterranean style of eating has much in common with the mostly plant-based diet recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). To reduce cancer risk, AICR recommends reducing meat portions and allowing vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans to take the starring role in our meals. Researchers now believe that all these factors, plus their interaction, may produce especially powerful benefits.

Ironically, the people of the Mediterranean, who once had this eating style for generations, have begun changing their diet. An analysis in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that compared to the traditional diet of Crete, for example, teenagers on the island were eating more fried food and less fruits and vegetables in 1994. Saturated fat intake increased from 9 to 15 percent of calories, and consumption of fiber, folate and several antioxidant vitamins dropped. A study of the French Mediterranean, published recently in Public Health Nutrition, found that almost three times as many people over age 55 had healthy eating scores compared to those in the 20 to 34 range.

If you try to adopt a more Mediterranean style of eating, keep in mind one AICR caution. Portion size is important, too. Studies on Italian eating habits show that those who eat excess calories due to too much bread, pasta and sweets have an increased incidence of cancers of the colon and breast compared to Italians who eat these foods in moderate portions.

By Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN
American Institute for Cancer Research