Beneficial Effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Metabolic Syndrome

Title:Beneficial Effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Metabolic Syndrome

Volume: 20 Issue: 31

Author(s): Giuseppe Grosso, Antonio Mistretta, Stefano Marventano, Agata Purrello, Paola Vitaglione, Giorgio Calabrese, Filippo Drago and Fabio Galvano

Affiliation:

Keywords: Mediterranean diet, chronic disease, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, prevention.

Abstract: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a cluster of medical disorders, such as hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and abdominal obesity that, when occurring together, increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The role of food and nutrients in the aetiology of chronic diseases has become clearer over the last 15 years. In this review we collected evidence on the beneficial impact ofthe Mediterranean diet on MetS by analyzing epidemiological reports documenting its prevalence in subjects who have adopted this dietary pattern. We also explored the role of the individual components of the diet on the specific aspects characterizing the MetS (i.e. metabolic indices, body weight and blood pressure). There is ample evidence showing that subjects adherent to the Mediterranean diet have lower prevalence and incidence rates of MetS than non-adherent. Moreover, it has been widely documented that specific components of this dietary pattern play a role in the prevention of several morbid conditions related to the MetS.

Cite this article as:

Grosso Giuseppe, Mistretta Antonio, Marventano Stefano, Purrello Agata, Vitaglione Paola, Calabrese Giorgio, Drago Filippo and Galvano Fabio, Beneficial Effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Metabolic Syndrome, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2014; 20 (31) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612819666131206112144