title: Mediterranean Dietary Patterns and Cardiovascular Health.
abstract: The Mediterranean dietary pattern has been linked with reduced cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. Components of the Mediterranean diet associated with better cardiovascular health include low consumption of meat and meat products, moderate consumption of ethanol (mostly from wine), and high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, fish, and olive oil. Increasing evidence indicates that the synergy among these components results in beneficial changes in intermediate pathways of cardiometabolic risk, such as lipids, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and vasoreactivity. As a result, consumption of a Mediterranean dietary pattern favorably affects numerous cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Moreover, strong evidence links this dietary pattern with reduced cardiovascular disease incidence, reoccurrence, and mortality. This review evaluates the current evidence behind the cardioprotective effects of a Mediterranean dietary pattern.
authors.affiliation: Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Kobina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Wilmot
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghasemzadeh
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burkman
authors.forename: Girum
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mekonnen
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gongora
authors.forename: Arshed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Quyyumi
authors.forename: Laurence S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol; D003611:Dairy Products; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008019:Life Style; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome; D009754:Nuts; D000069463:Olive Oil; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012307:Risk Factors; D017365:Spices; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D014920:Wine
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D000069463:Olive Oil; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Mediterranean diet; cardiovascular disease; health; prevention