Implementing the Mediterranean Diet

Dr Richard Hoffman PhD RNutr FRSA is a former senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, UK with over 20 years experience teaching nutrition and biomedical sciences to undergraduates and postgraduates, running short courses on the Mediterranean diet for dietitians, and extensive cancer research experience. He is the author of two previous books on the Mediterranean diet - The Mediterranean Diet: Health and Science and More Healthy Years: Why a Mediterranean diet is best for you and for the planet. He serves on the editorial board of Public Health Nutrition.

Most of us have heard about the Mediterranean diet and its supposed health benefits, and it conjures up images of roast lamb and vegetables, olives, olive oil and red wine. I wonder how many of us have read up in detail about what the scientific proof looks like and exactly what this “diet” involves. This book sets out to provide the reader with all the background information, scientific studies and what they prove, and provides insights and advice on how the Mediterranean diet can be implemented. How consumers can make this transition is also discussed.The book is divided into two parts to distinguish between “why” the Mediterranean diet should be implemented and “how” to implement the diet and help motivate and guide consumers. The first seven chapters of Part 1 delve into the evidence base for the effectiveness of the diet in disease prevention and why we should minimise the consumption of highly processed foods. The nine chapters of Part 2 discuss the “how” – how to address practical and behavioural barriers to food choice, how to get the balance of the main foods and food groups in the diet right, and how to incorporate the Mediterranean diet into your lifestyle, and ends with a look at the benefits of the diet to society and the possible impact on sustainability of the food system.I would recommend this book to anyone interested in nutrition and looking for an evidence-based overview of this particular diet.– Professor Gunnar Sigge, Issue 41, Volume 12, Number 3, FST Magazine, South African Food Science and Technology

• List of ContributorsPrefaceAcknowledgementsList of AbbreviationsPART 1 The evidence base for the Mediterranean diet1. The Mediterranean diet in health care and disease prevention2. Overview of the Med diet3. Epidemiological evidence base4. Epidemiological evidence - Health outcomes5. How the Med diet works6. Foods of the Med diet: nutrients and health benefits7. The Med diet compared to other mainstream dietsPART 2 Implementing a Mediterranean diet8. Personal barriers and enablers to consuming a Med diet9. Enhancing consumption of foods in the Med diet - general considerations10. Enhancing consumption of foods in the Med diet11. The Med diet in the home12. The Med diet in the food environment13. The Mediterranean diet in primary health care14. Case studies15. The Med diet as part of a sustainable food and farming system16. Governance and the Med dietIndex