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With obesity rates climbing steadily — they're up 10 percent since 2000 — and nearly four in 10 of us tipping the scale at unhealthy weights, America has earned the unwanted title of Fattest Nation on Earth. In addition, obesity-related health care costs represent 20 percent of our health care spending, or some $190 billion annually.
Those astonishing figures led Meifang Chen, Ph.D., M.P.H., CHES, professor of public health at California State University, Los Angeles, to look deeper. Specifically, she examined adoption and adherence to the Mediterranean diet across the country.
The Mediterranean has been shown to lower risk of obesity and is also linked to the prevention of cancer, diabetes and heart disease — in other words, the big killers. This traditional diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, whole grains and olive oil, while reducing saturated fat, refined sugar and processed foods.
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6 Tips for Following the Mediterranean Diet
Courtesy of CSU News
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Eat fish and seafood at least twice a week while limiting red meat.
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Choose water as your main daily beverage while allowing a limited intake of wine with meals.
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Aim for moderate fat intake from fatty fish, olive oil and nuts.
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It is important to not simply add single foods or nutrients (like olive oil or nuts) to your current diet, but to adopt the Mediterranean diet in its entirety. Research shows that it's the combination of the foods that appear protective against disease.
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The Mediterranean diet is not a diet but a lifestyle. In addition to changing your dietary habits, living an active and social lifestyle is also important to reap the greatest benefits.
- Portion control is a factor even when eating healthy foods. It's essential to monitor food intake based on physical activity and body mass index (BMI). Daily calorie needs can be established by contacting a nutritionist or using apps such as http://myfitnesspal.com.
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