The Mediterranean diet is generally ranked high on searches for best diets, and that is for many good reasons. This flexible nutritionally complete family-friendly budget-smart diet focuses on quality rather than a single nutrient or food group and recommends a varied daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, herbs, and spices.
José Francisco López-Gil, PhD, of the Universidad de Las Américas in Quito, Ecuador, and colleagues reported that interventions following the characteristics of the diet’s emphasis on fruit, vegetables, olive oil, and fish, rather than ultra processed foods significantly improved systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and total and LDL cholesterol. Participant HDL cholesterol also improved, although diastolic blood pressure, glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance did not.
“Clinicians should consider incorporating dietary counseling and Mediterranean diet-based interventions into their practice, particularly for young patients at risk of cardiometabolic issues,” López-Gil. “The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents highlights the urgent need for interventions to improve cardiometabolic health in this population,” he said.
The study
This study aimed to raise the level of evidence and awareness for the impact of the Mediterranean diet on youth. The meta-analysis of 9 randomized clinical trials involved 577 participants between the ages of 3 and 18 years old with a mean age of 11 and a study duration of 17 weeks, with a range of 8 to 40 weeks.
The trials randomized 322 participants into Mediterranean diet interventions: 6 studies focusing on children and adolescents with excess weight, with two focusing on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; 1 study enrolled prediabetic children; and 2 studies involved otherwise healthy children. 7 studies issued a Mediterranean intervention prescription diet, 2 studies provided nutritional education based on the diet, and 5 studies the control group received usual care consisting of a standard diet in two and a low-fat diet in another two.
What they found
Compared to the control groups, the Mediterranean diet-based interventions were associated with reductions in systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and “bad” LDL cholesterol. The Mediterranean diet-based interventions were also associated with increases in “good” HDL cholesterol.
“While the diet is effective in improving lipid profiles and blood pressure, its impact on insulin resistance and glucose metabolism may be less pronounced or require longer intervention periods to manifest,” said López-Gil.
Given the mixed results for some biomarkers, it is essential to continue monitoring and researching the comprehensive effects of the Mediterranean diet in this population to provide more tailored recommendations.”
Why this diet heart friendly
The Mediterranean diet is heart friendly because it is rich in nutrients that support cardiovascular function while limiting harmful saturated fats as well as added sugars and highly processed foods. For example, olive oil and nut consumption provide healthy monounsaturated fats. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains offer abundant sources of fiber, vitamins, and anti-aging antioxidants. While fish supplies ample amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These foods work together to create an anti-inflammatory effect in the body as well as help to regulate cholesterol levels.
Takeaway
This diet may be especially beneficial for overweight children, who often consume too many of these less healthy food options. The findings of this study highlight the importance of promoting healthy eating habits early in life. School-based programs and/or family-based interventions that are focused on Mediterranean-style eating could be valuable tools for optimizing kids’ heart health and combating the obesity epidemic.
Although the changes may seem small, they could have implications later in life for long term heart health. Improving these markers early in life with healthful lifestyle habits such as dietary choices could help to avoid atherosclerotic plaque buildup and cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and in adulthood that are subsequent to cardiovascular disease later in life.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
josefranciscolopezgil@gmail.com
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821173?utm_source=For_The_
Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=071224
https://www.worldhealth.net/news/best-overall-diets-2024-report/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet
