Mediterranean Style - Popular Diets: Obesity

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Mediterranean style

Books: Eat, Drink, & Weigh Less; The Sonoma Diet

Just as there are "good carbs" and "bad carbs," there are good fats and bad fats. These diets emphasize good fats and good carbs.

Rationale. Saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol are the bad guys. Good fats are monounsaturated (found in olive oil, for example) and polyunsaturated (found in such foods as fish, canola oil, and walnuts). The Mediterranean diet advocated by Mollie Katzen and Harvard professor Walter Willett in Eat, Drink, & Weigh Less has a moderate amount of fat, but much of it comes from healthful monounsaturated fats and unsaturated omega-3 fats. It is high in carbohydrates, but most of the carbs come from unrefined, fiber-rich foods with a low glycemic index. It is also high in fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish, with only modest amounts of meat and cheese.

Bottom line. People living in Mediterranean countries have a lower than expected rate of heart disease. But the traditional lifestyle in the region also includes lots of exercise, regular meal patterns, and wine. It's hard to know what relative role these different factors play — but there is some evidence that in and of itself, the diet can reduce cardiovascular risk.

Last updated:	June 20, 2007