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Cited by 2,461Nutritional Studies and DietNutrition, Health, and Society StudiesFatty Acid Research and Health

Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating

Willett, WC, Sacks, F, Trichopoulou, A, Drescher, G, Ferro-Luzzi, A, Helsing, E, Trichopoulos, D·1995·The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
DOI 10.1093/ajcn/61.6.1402s
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Abstract

We present a food pyramid that reflects Mediterranean dietary traditions, which historically have been associated with good health. This Mediterranean diet pyramid is based on food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s, where adult life expectancy was among the highest in the world and rates of coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and other diet-related chronic diseases were among the lowest. Work in the field or kitchen resulted in a lifestyle that included regular physical activity and was associated with low rates of obesity. The diet is characterized by abundant plant foods (fruit, vegetables, breads, other forms of cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds), fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts, normally with meals. This diet is low in saturated fat (< or = 7-8% of energy), with total fat ranging from < 25% to > 35% of energy throughout the region. The pyramid describes a dietary pattern that is attractive for its famous palatability as well as for its health benefits.

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  • The Mediterranean diet is commonly recognised as a health-promoting dietary pattern due to features including regular consumption of unsaturated fats, low glycaemic index carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and moderate animal-derived proteins.

    “Among the different nutritional strategies, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is commonly recognised as a health-promoting dietary pattern due to its peculiar features, including the regular consumption of unsaturated fats, low glycaemic index carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, and moderate amount of animal-derived proteins [13].”

    From Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Dietary Patterns and Body Composition in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) (2019) · cites this paper as [13]

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Authors
Willett, W., Sacks, F., Trichopoulou, A., Drescher, G., Ferro-Luzzi, A., Helsing, E., & Trichopoulos, D.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
ORCID
Venue
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1995-06
Volume
61
Issue
6
Pages
1402S-1406S
ISSN
0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1093/ajcn/61.6.1402s
OpenAlex
W1941424948
Cited by
2,461
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 95 · 2025: 142 · 2024: 149 · 2023: 130 · 2022: 156 · 2021: 155 · 2020: 145 · 2019: 137 · 2018: 164 · 2017: 110 · 2016: 103 · 2015: 104 · 2014: 127 · 2013: 102 · 2012: 82
FWCI
15.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Nutrition, Health, and Society Studies
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
Keywords
Mediterranean diet, food pyramid, healthy eating, dietary habits, Crete, Greece, Southern Italy, plant-based foods, olive oil, dairy products, red meat consumption, wine consumption, saturated fat, physical activity, obesity, coronary artery disease, diet-related chronic diseases, life expectancy
MeSH terms
Animals, Diet, Europe, Health, Humans, Life Style, Exercise

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