By David Liu, PHD

Saturday April 20, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that eating a Mediterranean diet can help prevent cardiovascular disease in those who are at risk for the disease.

The study led by Ramón Estruch, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues shows that participants who followed the Mediterranean diet was 30 percent less likely to suffer a cardiovascular event during a period of 4.8 years, compared with controls who were advised to reduce intake of dietary fat.

The authors reported that epidemiological studies and a secondary prevention trial show an inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Enrolled in the current study were 7447 men and women aged 55 to 80 years in Spain who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease, but did not experience any cardiovascular event prior to the enrollment.  One group of participants were assigned to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, another group assigned with a Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with  nuts and both groups were compared with a control group of participants who were advised to reduce dietary fat.  The trial lasted 4.8 years on average.

During the follow-up, 288 participants experienced a cardiovascular event with 96 among those eating the Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil, 83 among those eating the Mediterranean diet plus nuts and 109 among the controls.  Those eating the Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil or nuts were 30 or 28 less likely to experience a cardiovascular event, respectively, compared with controls.

No adverse effects were found associated with using the Mediterranean diet.

The trial suggests that eating a Mediterranean diet may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who are at high risk for the disease.  However, even eating the diet, many subjects still suffered a cardiovascular event, meaning that the diet is not effective enough to prevent 100% of cases.

One better way to prevent cardiovascular disease is to eat a plant-based diet, which has been proved to be much more effective in preventing cardiovascular disease.   Evidence shows that people with coronary heart disease can stop the progression or reverse the disease in 99% cases by following a plant-based or a vegan diet.  

The Mediterranean diet, commonly used in southern Italy, Greece, and Spain include "high consumption of olive oil, legumes, whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of meat and meat products," according to wikipedia.