Table 4. List of studies about Mediterranean Diet.
| ReferenceCountryYears | Population | Follow-up | NAge range | Outcome | FINDINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sala-Salvadò J, et al.-------Spain2003-2010 | Community-dwelling men and women with no previously documented cardiovascular diseases | 4.8 years | 7447-------55-80 | PREDIMED randomized trial analyzed the effect of Mediterranean Diet on incidence and reversion of metabolic syndrome. | The Mediterranean Diet with extra-virgin oil after a median follow-up of 4.8 years, had reduced by 30% the rate of CVD events. The Mediterranean Diet with nuts had reduced by 28%. The Mediterranean diet, either supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts, was not associated with the onset of metabolic syndrome but only with its regression. |
| De Lorenzo A, et al.-------Italy2001 | Obese Italian women without obesity-related complications or other diseases | 2 months | 19-------32±4 | The study evaluated the efficacy and the safety of a moderately hypocaloric Mediterranean Diet (MHMD) on body composition and metabolic profile. | Total fat mass and segmental fat mass from trunk and legs were significantly decreased, while no significant loss of total and segmental lean body mass was observed. In the metabolic profile, a significant decrease of basal insulin, total and LDL-cholesterol, uric acid and fibrinogen was observed, while any change in fasting blood glucose, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides was reported. |
| Andreoli A, et al.-------Italy2008 | Obese women | 4 months | 47-------39.7±13 | The study evaluated the effects of a moderately hypoenergetic Mediterranean diet (MHMD) and exercise program on body cell mass (BCM) and cardiovascular disease risk factors in obese women. | MHMD and exercise program for 4 month preserved BCM and improved cardiovascular disease risk factors in obese women |
| De Lorenzo A., et al.-------Italy2010 | Caucasian Italian men (100 healthy male individuals and 50 male CKD patients) | 14 days | 150-------30-65 | The aim was to verify the effect of Italian Mediterranean Diet (IMD) on body composition and biochemical parameters in healthy individuals and in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients, in order to decrease cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor and the progression of renal diseases. | The IMOD diet, according to “Nicotera Diet”, was able to reduce the total homocysteine, phosphorus and albuminuria levels in CKD patients and to ameliorate the cardiovascular risk profile in both population examined |
| Di Daniele N, et al.-------Italy2014 | Caucasian Italian men with CKD and stable renal function | 28 days | 40-------42-54 | The aim was to explore the effect of an Italian Mediterranean organic diet (IMOD) versus low-protein diet (LPD) in chronic kidney diseases (CKD) patients, according to patients’ carrier status for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism. | IMD and IMOD diets represent a valid nutritional alternative intervention to low-protein diet in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on conservative therapy. |
| Di Renzo L, et al.-------Italy2014 | Healthy volunteers aged 18-65 years and BMI ≥ 19 kg/m2 | 18 weeks | 24-------18-65 | The study evaluated if the consumption of a Mc Donald's Meal (McD) and a Mediterranean Meal (MM) with and without the addiction of red wine, reduces oxidized (ox-) LDL and the expression of oxidative and inflammatory genes. | When red wine is associated with McD or MM, values of ox-LDL are lowered, the expression of antioxidant genes is increased, while CCL5 expression is decreased. |
| Ghavipour M, et al.-------Iran2012 | Overweight or obese female students | 20 days | 106-------20-40 | The study verifies if the consumption of a lycopene-rich food can reduce inflammation in overweight or obese people. | Tomato juice reduces inflammation in overweight and obese females. Serum concentrations of IL-8 and TNF-α decreased significantly in overweight subjects. Among obese subjects, serum IL-6 concentration was decreased in the intervention group compared with the control group, with no differences in IL-8 and TNF-α observed. |
| Mc Eneny J, et al.-------UK2012 | Moderately overweight individuals. | 12 weeks | 54-------middle-aged | This study examined lycopene's ability to lower systemic and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated inflammation in moderately overweight middle-aged subjects. | A lycopene supplementation for 12 weeks decreased systemic levels of serum amyloid A. |
| Li YF, et al.-------Taiwan2015 | Young females with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 | 2 months | 25-------20-30 | This study showed the effect of tomato juice's supplementation on indices linked to metabolic health and adipokine profiles in generally healthy people. | Daily tomato juice supplementation reduces waist circumference, as well as serum cholesterol and inflammatory adipokine levels in young healthy women and these results are unrelated to body fat changes. |
| Pitsavos C, et al.-------Greece2005 | Random sample with no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease | 1 year | 3042-------18-89 | “the ATTICA study” assessed the effect of the MD on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) | Greater adherence to the MD is associated to higher TAC levels and low oxidized LDL-cholesterol concentrations. |
| Tierney, A.C.; et al.-------EU2011 | MetS subjects | 12 weeks | 417-------Mean 54.9 | In LIPGENE study, a large pan-European isocaloric dietary intervention study of MetS subjects, saturated fatty acid (SFA) have been replaced with MUFA or low-fat, high complex carbohydrate. | Improvement of insulin sensitivity only in patients whose habitual pre-intervention dietary fat intake was below the median (<36% energy from fat). |
| Vessby B, et al. & KANWU Study-------Sweden2001 | Healthy subjects | 3 months | 162-------30-65 | The aim was to evaluate whether a change in dietary fat quality could improve insulin action. | A decrease of saturated fatty acid and an increase of monounsaturated fatty acid, improves insulin sensitivity but has no effect on insulin secretion. |
| GISSI-Prevenzione trial.-------Italy1999 | Patients surviving recent (≤3 months) myocardial infarction | 3-5 years | 11324-------50-80 | The study investigated the effects of foods rich in vitamin E (α-tocopherol) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in patients who had myocardial infarction. | Dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFA led to a clinically important and satistically significant benefit. Vitamin E had no benefit. |
| Di Daniele N, et al.-------Italy2013 | White Italian subjects with MS | 6 months | 80-------48,7± 13 | The aim was to evaluate the benefits of dietary intervention based on a typical IMD on body composition, cardiometabolic changes and reduction in cardiovascular disease in patients with MS | The MS was resolved in 52% of the patients. Significant improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and fasting glucose occurred. |
| Fitò M, et al.-------Spain2003-2004 | Subjects with high cardiovascular risk | 3 months | 372-------55-80 | The aim was to verify the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet (MD) on the primary prevention of coronary heart disease in patients with high cardiovascular risk. | After 3 months of Mediterranean Diet, individuals at high cardiovascular showed significant reductions in cellular lipid levels and LDL oxidation. |
| Cuenca-García M, et al.-------Spain1987-1999 | Middle-aged healthy men and women | 12 years | 12449-------20-84 | The study examined the association between three predefined dietary indices (Ideal Diet Index, Diet Quality Index, and Mediterranean Diet Score) and both cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and long-term mortality in adult Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study's participants. | Higher Ideal Diet Index, Diet Quality Index, and Mediterranean Diet Score scores were significantly linked to lower body mass index, cholesterol and glucose levels, and diastolic blood pressure, and higher cardiorespiratory fitness. |
| Ruano J, et al.-------Spain2005 | Hypercholesterolemic volunteers | 2 hours | 21-------53-68 | The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the phenolic content of virgin olive oil on endothelial reactivity. | The intake of the polyphenol-rich breakfast was associated with a greater increase of nitrates/nitritis ratio and lower lipoperoxides and 8-epi prostaglandin-F2alpha levels. |
| Grosso G, et al.-------Italy2014 | Subjects with or without metabolic syndrome | 1 year | 1889-------Mean 50.2 | The study investigated the relationship between the beverages containing caffeine and the components of metabolic syndrome. | Coffee and tea consumption was significantly associated with reduced odds of MS; however, no direct association between caffeine intake and MS components was evaluated. |
| Basu A, et al.-------US2010 | Men and women with metabolic syndrome | 8 weeks | 48-------50± 3 | The study aimed to evaluate the effects of blueberry supplementation on features of metabolic syndrome, lipid peroxidation, and inflammation in obese men and women. | The blueberry supplementation decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressures, whereas the serum glucose concentration and lipid profiles were not affected. |
| Kolehmainen M et al.-------Finland2012 | Subjects with metabolic syndrome | 8 weeks | 27-------53± 6 | The aim was to study the impact of bilberries on inflammation and gene expression profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. | Blueberry supplementation decreases serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-12, and LPS concentration, demonstrating a decrease of cardiometabolic risk in long term. |
| Basu A et al.-------US2010 | Subjects with metabolic syndrome | 8 weeks | 27-------47 ±3 | The aim was to verify if a freeze-dried strawberry supplementation can improve blood pressure, impaired glucose, dyslipidemia, or circulating adhesion molecules in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome. | A short-term supplementation with 4 cups of freeze-dried strawberry beverage improve selected atherosclerotic risk factors, including dyslipidemia and circulating adhesion molecules in subjects with metabolic syndrome. |
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Legend Table 4: CVD: cardiovascular diseases MHMD: moderately hypocaloric Mediterranean Diet LDL: Low density lipopretein HDL: high density liporptein BCM: Body cellular mass IMD: Italian Mediterranean Diet IMOD: Italian Mediterranean Organic Diet CKD: Chronic kidney disease LPD: Low protein diet MTHFR: methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase McD: Mc Donald's Meal MM: Medierranean Meal CCL5:Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 IL-8: interleukin-8 TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor alpha IL-6: interleukin-6 MD: Mediterranean Diet TAC: Total antioxidant capacity MetS: Metabolic Syndrome SFA: Saturated Fatty Acid MUFA: Monoinsaturated Fatty Acids MS: Metabolic Syndrome IL-12: interleukin-12 LPS: Lipopolysaccharide | |||||
The most important studies in the world about the impact of Mediterranean Diet on cardiovascular risk factors: findings suggest the protective role of MD.