Mediterranean diet and overall mortality differences in the European Union.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the Mediterranean diet contributes to overall mortality differences and trends between Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean European Union (EU) countries.


METHODS
Routinely recorded adjusted overall mortality and food availability data in Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean EU countries. A Mediterranean diet score designed a priori was used as instrument.


METHODS
Fifteen EU countries in the 1960s and the 1990s.


METHODS
The general population in the 15 EU countries.


RESULTS
The difference between Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean EU countries in a 7-point Mediterranean diet score was reduced from 2.9 in the 1960s to 1.6 in the 1990s. This reduction may underlie the reduction in the difference in general mortality between these countries, from about 100 deaths per 100,000 person-years in the early 1970s to about 50 deaths per 100,000 person-years in the 1990s.


CONCLUSIONS
The decline in overall mortality in the 15 EU countries over the last 25 years is probably unrelated to diet. However, the gradual loss of the survival advantage of Mediterranean EU citizens, compared with other EU citizens, may be linked to the gradual abandonment by the former of their dietary traditions.
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece. dtrichop@hsph.harvard.edu
Dimitrios
D
Trichopoulos
Pagona
P
Lagiou
D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D015331:Cohort Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D015996:Survival Rate