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Mediterranean residents may not have such a good diet after all

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

A Mediterranean diet, which is commonly associated with significant heart health benefits, may not deliver the cholesterol test results that individuals hope. A new study has found that many residents of the region struggle with dangerously poor heart health.

The investigation, which was published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, found that heart disease and heart attack are persistent problems in the Mediterranean region.

After studying more than 2,000 participants from Spain, researchers from Carlos Haya, Malaga found that 65 percent had high cholesterol levels and 33 percent had elevated blood pressure.

"The prevalence of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol in Spain have all risen at an alarming rate over the last 20 years, and this is likely to cause future increases in bad health and death due to cardiovascular disease," said Ricardo Gómez-Huelgas, who led the study.

He added that the so-called Mediterranean diet is a myth based on outdated information and that individuals who are looking for dietary role models would be better served to look elsewhere.