Mediterranean diet healthiest
Friday June 29th, 2012
The so-called Mediterranean diet remains one of the healthiest ways to eat, experts said yesterday.
A major analysis
of research on diet shows that the diet cuts heart attacks and some kinds
of cancer.
People who eat the diet are likely to live longer than others, according to the British Medical Journal analysis.
The study says no "magic diet" will prevent cancer. Instead it needs a healthy weight, not too much red meat, plenty of exercise and not too much alcohol, the analysis says.
The experts say they are not sure of the impact of low-fat diets on healthy people - although they help people with heart disease.
And the study casts doubt on the extent of the benefits of "five-a-day" fruit and vegetables, suggesting that it cuts the chance of heart disease by about 0.6 per cent.
The Mediterranean diet is generally thought to include fish, pulses and salads together with olive oil - and may include small amounts of wine.
Anna Sayburn, head of consumer health at the BMJ, said: "It's easy to get confused about healthy eating, when we're bombarded by stories that tell us a particular food either causes or cures cancer, and when complicated diets followed by celebrities are featured in magazines.
"That's why we thought it was time to look at the science behind food advice."
She added: "We already have a wealth of information for people who have a medical condition to help them make decisions about their treatments. We wanted to use our rigorous standards of evidence appraisal to help healthy people make good choices about their diet, so they can stay healthy."
Tags: Cancer | Diet & Food | Europe | Heart Health
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