Design of a Mediterranean exchange list diet implemented by telephone counseling.
A Greek-Mediterranean dietary pattern has two distinct aspects that differ relative to average intakes in the United States: a high intake of monounsaturated fats and a high intake of fruit and vegetables. The purpose of the study was to develop and test an exchange list Greek-Mediterranean diet that could be used in future clinical trials of breast cancer prevention. A total of 69 women, ages 25 to 59 years, were randomized to either continue their own usual diet or follow an intervention diet for 6 months during 2004 through 2005. Intervention goals were to decrease usual fat intakes by about half and to replace those fats with olive oil and other high-monounsaturated fatty acid foods; increase fruit and vegetable intakes to 7 to 9 servings/day, depending on energy intake; and consume at least one serving per day each of culinary herbs and allium vegetables. Registered dietitians provided exchange goals and individualized telephone counseling, and diets were self-selected using a Mediterranean exchange list developed specifically for this study. Changes in diet were assessed by 7-day food records. Results demonstrated that counseling using the Mediterranean exchange list was effective for large dietary changes relative to the nonintervention group. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant 48% increase in dietary monounsaturated fat with no appreciable change in total fat intake, and a significant increase in fruit and vegetable intake from 4.0 to 8.6 servings/day (P < 0.05).
Djuric
Zora
Z
Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5930, USA. zoralong@umich.edu
Vanloon
Glee
G
Radakovich
Katherine
K
Dilaura
Nora M
NM
Heilbrun
Lance K
LK
Sen
Ananda
A
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D015930:Diet Records; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013689:Telephone; D014675:Vegetables
D004041:Dietary Fats; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated