MARSEILLE, France--Adherence to Mediterranean-type and low-fat diets may lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to results of the Mediterranean Diet, Cardiovascular Risks and Gene Polymorphisms (Medi-RIVAGE) study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (82, 5:964-971, 2005).
Researchers monitored the effects of a Mediterranean-style diet or a low-fat diet on CVD risk factors in 212 male and female test subjects with moderate risk factors for developing CVD. Volunteers followed the diets for three months and completed dietary questionnaires, as well as various tests designed to measure plasma nutritional markers. Changes in dietary habits were observed in both groups; protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat intakes increased, whereas use of saturated fat decreased. Body mass index (BMI), total and triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein (TRL) cholesterol, triacylglycerols, TRL triacylglycerols, apolipoproteins A-I and B, insulinemia, glycemia and homeostasis model assessment scores were significantly lower in test subjects at the end of the trial. The researchers found a 9-percent reduction in cardiovascular disease risk with the low-fat diet and a 15-percent reduction with the Mediterranean-style diet, and concluded both diets significantly reduced CVD risk factors to an overall comparable extent.
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