At the University of Edinburgh, researchers did a systematic review of 62 studies to determine how the diet of pregnant women may affect asthma and allergies in their babies.  The strongest connection found was between the Mediterranean Diet and asthma: babies whose mothers followed the Med Diet had a nearly 80% lower risk of wheezing. Vitamins A, D and E were also associated with reduced risk of asthma.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dec. 23, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Cognitive decline is not inevitable as we age, and in fact a new study shows that eating a Mediterranean Diet can make your mental age years younger. Researchers in Chicago studied the dietary habits of 4,000 Midwesterners aged 65 and older, and scored them for adherence to either the Med Diet or the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. They then tested the people every three years for skills including word memory and math. Those who scored highest on the MedDiet scale – by enjoying fish, legumes, vegetables, wine, fruit and olive oil regularly – had slower cognitive decline over time, while those scoring higher on the Dietary Guidelines scale showed no advantage in keeping their wits about them. (Related article).

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. December 22, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Scientists at the University of Naples studied 192 overweight and obese men, putting half the men on a Med Diet (if overweight) or a Med Diet plus exercise and calorie restriction (if obese), while the other half followed a conventional diet. After two years, the Med Diet group had lost, on average 14 kg (31 lbs), while the control group had lost just 2 kg. Moreover, the Med Diet group showed “significant amelioration of multiple risk factors” including improved cardiovascular markers, reduced oxidative stress, and improved insulin sensitivity. 

Cardiology Research & Practice, Dec. 20, 2010; 2011:293916

Scientists at the University of Buffalo reviewed several studies to assess the effect of curcumin, which is the active ingredient in turmeric.  Experiments using animal models suggest that curcumin may have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects and may regulate lipid metabolism.  These properties suggest that curcumin may have a role in the treatment of conditions associated with obesity.
Nutrition Review. 2010 Dec; 68(12):729-738.  (Alappat et al.)

Turmeric is a common spice in Asian cuisines. According to this paper from the University of Buffalo, curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) may regulate lipid metabolism and thereby help downregulate obesity.
Nutrition Reviews. December 2010; 68(12):729-38 (Alappat et al.)

Some of us may notice a few extra pounds appear on the scale as we get older. Is this just the reality of getting older? A new study, which followed 10,376 Spanish men and women for about 6 years, has found that following the Mediterranean Diet eating pattern may slow down the weight gain normally observed with age. In fact, people with the lowest Med Diet score gained the most weight each year. (Related article). 

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. December 2010; 92(6): 1484-93 [Epub Oct 20, 2010]

Scientists in Poland who are familiar with the health benefits of the olive-oil-based Mediterranean Diet reviewed 124 kinds of baby food from six suppliers. They found that corn, canola, and soybean oils were most common in jarred baby foods, and that only one brand of ready-to-eat jars with vegetables featured olive oils. The scientists concluded that medical professionals should urge manufacturers to produce baby foods with olive oil, and that parents should, in the meantime, make their own olive-oil baby foods at home.

Medical Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. December 2010; 3(3):227-232.

The School of Health Sciences at Cleveland State University studied thirty-seven elders living in the Eastern Afromontane and Albertine Rift regions of Ethiopia; the Mayan Mountains region of Belize; the Western Gats region of India; and the Appalachian Mountains region of the United States who live by their traditions.  The data from each site was grouped into three major categories: (1) philosophy, attitudes, and outlook (2) lifestyle practices, and (3) dietary and nutritional practices. The study found that the elders’ comprehensive yet simple set of practices has implications for today’s population. The elders’ practices promote longevity, sustainably, and healthy lifestyles by following traditional ways of eating and taking care of one’s body, mind, spirit and environment. 
Explore (NY) 2010 Nov-Dec; 6(6):352-8. (Pesek et al.)

You are told to brush, floss, and rinse every day, but has your dentist told you to consume more Omega 3 fatty acids lately? He should, according the latest study from Japan comparing levels of omega-3 fatty acids and the prevalence of dental diseases. “People with low DHA intake had an approximately 1.5 times higher incidence rate ratio of periodontal disease progression,” wrote the researchers. Omega-3 fatty acids of marine and plant origin were found to have strong anti-bacterial activity against a range of oral pathogens, which may be related to the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids. “In periodontal diseases, bacteria trigger inflammatory host responses that cause destruction of the alveolar bone and periodontal connective tissue,” explained the researchers. The Mediterranean Diet features ingredients rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, nuts, legumes and vegetables. This pattern of eating is already known to protect against certain kinds of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. Now there is one more reason to try it. (Related article).

Nutrition. November-December 2010; 26(11-12):1105-9 [Epub January 25, 2010]

Women all over the world struggle with conception, for various reasons. However, new findings point to a possible role for diet in fertility treatment success. Researchers in the Netherlands found that among 161 couples undergoing fertility treatment, women whose eating habits most closely matched the traditional Mediterranean diet were 40 percent more likely to become pregnant than those with the least Mediterranean-like diets. One potential reason adhering to a Mediterranean Diet positively affects fertility treatment is the high intake of vegetable oils, vegetables, fish, and legumes – and a low intake of snacks. (Related article).

Fertility and Sterility, November 2010; 94(6):2096-101 [Epub Mar 1, 2010]

Researchers at Tufts University, including Nicola McKeown, analyzed data from 2834 Framingham Heart Study participants aged 32-83 years old, to assess the relationship between whole grain consumption and body fat distribution. They found that people with the highest whole grain intake had less subcutaneous abdominal fat (fat under their skin) and less visceral abdominal fat (fat around their organs), while those with the highest refined grain intake had more of both types of abdominal fat, especially visceral fat. Visceral fat has been linked to higher risk for diabetes and heart disease.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. November 2010; 92(5):1165-71.

Researchers at the University of Reading, England carried out a double-blind, placebo-controlled human feeding study to explore the potential benefits of eating a whole maize (corn) cereal daily. For 21 days, they offered 32 healthy adults either 48 grams a day of a whole grain corn ceeal or an equal amount of a non-whole-grain cereal placebo, in a cross-over fashion, with a 3-week washout period in between. Fecal bifidobacteria levels increased significantly after 21 days of whole grain cereal, as compared to the refined grain cereal, leading researchers to conclude that whole grain corn can cause a “bifidogenic modulation of the gut microbiota” – an increase in beneficial gut bacteria.
British Journal of Nutrition. Nov 2010; 104(9):1353-6 (Epub May 21, 2010)