Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that even small steps towards more family meals can make a positive difference. In a study of over 2,000 young adults, the scientists found that children eating one or two family meals together each week had a 45% less likely risk of being overweight ten years later than those who never ate family meals together. Eating three or more family meals together was related to a lower risk of both overweight and obesity. These results were especially strong in African Americans.
Journal of Pediatrics. 2015 Feb;166(2):296-301. (Berge JM et al.)

The Mediterranean diet is not as pervasive in Mediterranean nations as it once was, but research indicates that adopting this traditional pattern of eating could have widespread benefits. Researchers in Turkey analyzed the eating habits of 900 adults without heart disease, then monitored their health for 5 years. Men and women most closely following a Mediterranean diet were significantly less likely to have a heart attack or need a stent to open up their blood vessels. Additionally, the men most closely following a Mediterranean diet had significantly lower rates of coronary artery disease (the most common type of heart disease) and coronary bypass grafts (surgery to improve blood flow to the heart). However, in women, the lower rates of coronary artery disease and coronary bypass grafts were not statistically significant.
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. 2015 Feb 15;8(2):2860-6. (Hoscan Y et al.)

Ventricular hypertrophy, or the thickening and enlargement of heart ventricles due to the accumulation of scar tissue, is thought to be a root cause of many heart ailments. To investigate how diet relates to this condition, researchers analyzed eating patterns and left ventricular mass (the size of the left ventricle of the heart, where enlargement is most common) of over 1,700 adults without history of heart attack or stroke. The scientists found that those most closely adhering to a Mediterranean Diet had a left ventricular mass that was 4% less than the rest of the study population, a reduction greater than that observed in people with moderate-to-heavy physical activity (another factor that supports heart health). In fact, for each point increase on the Mediterranean Diet Score (0-9), left ventricular mass was 1.98g lower (average left ventricular mass was 189g).
American Journal of Cardiology. 2015 Feb 15;115(4):510-4. (Gardener H et al.)

In a small European study, researchers supplied 33 adults who rarely eat whole grains (less than one ounce per day) with diet advice and a variety of whole grain foods. The participants increased their whole grain intake by 500% for six weeks (averaging six ounces per day) so that the scientists could assess diet’s relationship with gut bacteria, body fat and blood chemistry (like blood pressure and cholesterol). While the scientists found no significant health changes during this short-term experiment, what was remarkable is how the participants’ attitudes towards whole grains changed throughout the study. According to the researchers, nearly two thirds (65%) of the participants who provided post study data said they now prefer whole grains, “citing benefits such as improved bowel movements and appetite suppression, as well as taste.” Additionally, “the majority of subjects reported that it was not difficult to achieve the required level,” and a whopping 76% of subjects intend to continue eating and purchasing whole grains.
The Journal of Nutrition. 2015 Feb;145(2):215-21 (Ampatzoglou A et al.)

Researchers are increasingly turning to gut bacteria to learn more about complex conditions such as inflammation. To study this relationship, scientists randomized 63 overweight and obese adults to a diet containing either whole grains (in the form of shredded wheat) or refined grains (in the form of white bread and crackers) for 4-8 weeks. In addition to decreased inflammation in the whole grain group (a good thing!), the scientists found that one of the most abundant beneficial plant compounds (ferulic acid) from whole wheat is released and absorbed in the gut, where it is likely metabolized. In line with other studies on how whole grains improve gut health and diversity, the researchers also found that whole-wheat consumption positively influenced bacterial communities in the study participants.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015 Feb;101(2):251-61. (Vitaglione P et al.)

Plant-based diets have proven effective at reducing heart disease markers in adults, but with a large proportion of overweight and obese children, experts wonder if dietary interventions are effective on kids as well. In a small study in the Midwestern US, twenty-eight overweight and obese children (average age = 15) and their parents were assigned to either a plant-based vegan (no animal products at all), no-added fat diet (with only moderate avocado and nuts) or an American Heart Association diet (high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but also includes low fat dairy, some plant oils, lean meat and fish, and permits some refined grains) for four weeks. The plant-based group significantly improved nine different risk factors of heart disease (including improved blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight), while the American Heart Association Diet significantly improved four risk factors.
The Journal of Pediatrics. 2015 Feb 11. [Epub ahead of print] (Macknin M et al.)

It appears that a ‘grain brain’ may be protective against Alzheimer’s. Researchers studied the relationship between eating patterns and Alzheimer’s in 923 retired adults in Chicago over an average of 4.5 years.  The scientists rated participants’ diets based on how closely they adhered to the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet (a healthy diet used to treat hypertension that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, and limited sweets and salt) and the MIND diet. The MIND diet is a hybrid Mediterranean-DASH diet that emphasizes foods associated with brain health, including 3 servings per day of whole grains (more than any other food group), along with green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, and fish. The groups most closely following either the MIND diet or the Mediterranean diet cut their risk of Alzheimer’s dementia by more than half (53% for MIND and 54% for Mediterranean), while those closely following the DASH diet were 39% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Even those moderately following the MIND diet were at a 35% lower risk.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia. 2015 Feb 11. pii: S1552-5260(15)00017-5. [Epub ahead of print] (Morris MC et al.)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a type of lung disease, is commonly associated with smoking, even though up to one third of COPD patients have never smoked. In order to determine how other lifestyle factors may influence the risk of COPD, researchers analyzed over a decade of eating habits and new COPD cases from over 73,000 adult nurses in the US. The scientists concluded that diets high in whole grains, nuts, heart-healthy fats (polyunsaturated and omega-3), and low in red meat and sugar-sweetened drinks were associated with a significantly lower risk of COPD. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that whole grains are a vital component of an overall healthy diet.
British Medical Journal. 2015 Feb 3;350:h286. (Varraso R et al.)

A worthy star of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil gains much of its prestige from the various antioxidants that it contains. To see how one of these antioxidants affects cancer growth, New York scientists extracted oleocanthal (OC), a compound in extra virgin olive oil, and applied it to a variety of cancer cells.  According to the scientists, “Amazingly, OC induced cell death in all cancer cells examined – as rapidly as 30 minutes after treatment,” but did not cause cell death in noncancerous cells. This finding opens up a new field in the area of cancer research, as scientists are eager to find more ways to treat and prevent this devastating disease. While guzzling olive oil is by no means a cure for cancer, these findings support existing research that enhancing your meals with olive oil is a delicious and nutritious practice to build a long and healthy life.
Molecular and Cellular Oncology. 2015 Jan 23. [Epub ahead of print] (LeGendre O et al.)

Puglia is a beautiful region in Southern Italy. In this article, researchers use Puglia as an example of the Mediterranean diet’s connection between both good taste and good health, highlighting typical, nutritionally balanced dishes (such as fave bianche e cicorie, orecchiette e cime di rapa, soup of pulses and whole wheat, savory anchovy pie, and salads). The authors also analyze the climate and vegetation of the region, noting that the abundance of olive oil and wheat, and the wide assortment of interesting local vegetables helps contribute to this mostly plant-based diet.
International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. 2015 January;2(2):63-71. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2014.12.001. (Renna M et al.)