People who live in a wide-ranging area around the Mediterranean Sea have a much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than people eating Western type diets. The "typical" pre 1960's diet consisted of a daily routine high in fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread and pasta, couscous, polenta, other whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

It also included daily olive oil, cheese and yogurt. They ate fish two or three times weekly, poultry up to once a week, eggs up to three or four times a week, and sweets sparingly during the week. Red meat was eaten usually no more than once a month.

In addition, wine was consumed in low to moderate amounts daily (they exercised more too!). Their fat intake was in the 30 to 35% range but it was low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat. The "Mediterranean" diet is quite palatable and appealing to Westerners. Unfortunately since the 1960's the intake of red meat and the appearance of the fast food industry has increased dramatically almost everywhere including the Mediterranean and the population in these regions has an increasing rate of cardiovascular disease.

The Lyon Diet Heart Study in France in the 1990's used the Mediterranean diet to study a group of patients following heart attacks. A dramatic 50 to 70% reduction in risk of recurrence over the following four years was demonstrated.

The study was stopped prematurely so the patients in the control group could also be treated with the "Mediterranean" diet. The study group was also given a margarine high in omega-3 fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid). The Lyon group also used canola oil rather than olive oil.

These results were much better than in previous dietary trials which were aimed at reducing cholesterol by a low-cholesterol, low-saturated-fat, and high polyunsaturated-fat diet. Clearly if this diet could be adapted by more cultures the incidence of vascular disease would decline.

The diet promoted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is considerably different. All carbohydrates are encouraged. Red meat is acceptable on a daily basis, even several times daily. Fat is discouraged and there is no distinction between animal and vegetable fats.

The USDA Healthy Eating Index (HEI) considers white bread and whole wheat breads to be equally healthy; carrots and French fries, both in the vegetable category, are treated equally as healthy foods. There is virtually no food product that is restricted from daily use.