A Mediterranean style diet was consistently associated with lower cardiovascular risk
Adhering to a Mediterranean style diet was associated with a 39% lower coronary mortality risk and a 29% lower cardiovascular mortality risk in middle-aged and elderly European men and women in the HALE project. The Mediterranean diet score we used was based on eight basic food groups: bread, legumes, vegetables, fruit, fish, fats, dairy products, and meats. A high intake of bread, legumes, vegetables, fruit and fats rich in unsaturated fatty acids, a moderate intake of fish and a low intake of dairy and meat was characteristic of a Mediterranean diet.
Measuring habitual diets
The HALE project dealt with European elderly men and women participating in the FINE and SENECA Studies. They were 70-90 years old at baseline and were followed for 10 years. In both studies, dietary history was recorded as the measure of habitual food consumption.