Articles

Traditional Mediterranean Diet as a Holistic Diet: A Review of Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Lifestyle Through Pyramids

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Today, Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a globally recognized dietary pattern and public health model. In this review, traditional Mediterranean Diet (MD) is revisited: multiple aspects and facets of the diet including its history, cultural roots, food categories, lifestyle, religious traditions, physical activity and health benefits are presented through pyramids. Mindful eating of mainly plant-based and whole foods, seasonal and locally-sourced, along with the enjoyment in every step of production, preparation and consumption of the food, are the main characteristics of the traditional MD, which is presented for the first time as a 5F-diet based on 5F-pillars. MD is also described as a holistic diet – it is a diet that nourishes the body, the mind, and the soul through balanced and sustainable approach to food choices. The food choices and lifestyle practices provide holistic health not only for the whole body, but also yield healthy communities – the people are part of the community, have “sense of belonging”, and their interactions are in harmony with the environment, respecting the planetary resources and boundaries. The diet’s health benefits, including reduced risks of non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as cardio-vascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and cancers, prevention from neuro-cognitive disorders, and increased longevity, are a result not only of the food consumed, but also the presence of commensality and conviviality, and the lifestyle leading to daily stress relief. Overall, MD is a concept that embraces biodiversity, sustainability, quality, palatability, health, cultural aspects and heritage.

The Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Global Challenges

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Mediterranean diet is considered healthy compared to typical western diets while it was used by populations residing in Mediterranean basin since centuries. Several studies indicate that Mediterranean diet offers many health and environmental benefits. The positive impacts of this diet in treating various global challenges have been examined. Reviewing  several published papers the impacts of Mediterranean diet on managing obesity and malnutrition, on climate change mitigation and in the achievement of the sustainable development goals have been investigated. The results indicate that the use of Mediterranean diet helps in treating obesity and malnutrition, while it contributes positively in climate change mitigation and in achieving the 17 sustainable development goals. Unfortunately, for several reasons, the traditional Mediterranean diet  has been nowadays replaced by unhealthy western type diets burdening various global challenges that humanity faces. Our work is important since it indicates that the change of our dietary pattern shifting from western diet to Mediterranean diet will result in the mitigation of several global challenges. The results of the present study could be useful to medicinal doctors, policy makers, public authorities, non-governmental environmental organizations and other institutions related with the abovementioned issues.

The Nexus between Mediterranean Diet, Obesity and Climate Change

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Obesity and climate change consist of two major problems which have severe economic, environmental, social and health impacts all over the world. Mediterranean diet used to be the traditional diet in Mediterranean region with many nutritious and health benefits and low environmental impacts. However, it has been replaced nowadays with the western diet or other similar diets. The interlinkages among Med diet, obesity and climate change have been studied. The interrelation among them have been analyzed indicating their complex interdependence. Obesity and climate change are mutually interlinked while the use of Mediterranean diet can reduce the obesity rates and mitigate climate change. It has also lower environmental impacts, compared to western diets, leading to sustainable agricultural systems. Climate change has adverse impacts to Mediterranean diet due to harmful impacts on agriculture. Our findings indicate that the broad adoption of Mediterranean diet would reduce the obesity rates, mitigate climate change, reduce the undesired environmental impacts of the food production system and promote the sustainable agriculture which is necessary for the healthy nutrition of an increasing global population. The results could be useful to national and international policy makers who are trying to develop policies for the mitigation of climate change and the reduction of obesity rates promoting nutritious, healthy and sustainable food production and consumption systems.