The Mediterranean Diet and Mortality — Olive Oil and Beyond

The concept of the Mediterranean diet originated from the Seven Countries Study initiated by Ancel Keys in the 1950s. The study showed that, despite a high fat intake, the population of the island of Crete in Greece had very low rates of coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer and had a long life expectancy. The traditional dietary patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s were considered to be largely responsible for the good health observed in these regions.1 The main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet (see Figure) include . . .