Mediterranean Eating Style

Especially since the research by Elizabeth Blackburn, there is continuing interest in the relationship between telomere length and aging and what can contributes to longer telomeres. Immaculata De Vivo, Associate Professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, studied whether following a Mediterranean style of eating was associated with longer telomere length. After adjusting for other potentially influential factors, the study results showed that greater adherence to a Mediterranean eating style was significantly associated with longer telomeres. Interestingly, longer telomere length reflected the overall Mediterranean dietary pattern and not just one factor within that pattern. A Mediterranean style of eating is also being recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. And to the extent that appropriate portion control exists, it can also help maintain a weight that is within recommended ranges, another stress-reducer.