European studies have suggested that the Mediterranean diet (high in monounsaturated fats and rich in fruits and vegetables) can increase longevity. Mediterranean diets have also been associated with health benefits such as lower risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer.

A recent study led by the University of Michigan Health System marked the first time a method has been devised to achieve the major Mediterranean nutrient intakes using American foods and having American women follow this diet. In the study, women more than doubled their fruit and vegetable intake and dramatically increased their consumption of “good” fats when they were counseled by registered dietitians and provided with a list of guidelines on the amount of certain foods they should eat each day.

The study’s lead author, Zora Djuric, Ph.D., research professor of Family Medicine at the U-M Medical School and a member of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, is now leading a new study called Healthy Eating for Colon Cancer Prevention, in which she and colleagues are examining whether a Mediterranean diet can have preventive effects in the colon in persons at increased colon cancer risk.

More information on the study and how to participate in it, can be found at the University of Michigan Engage Web site. Click on the cancer-prevention listing.

In the UMHS study, specific suggestions on the exchange list included:
•Eight to 10 servings each day of high monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), such as olive or hazelnut oil
•Limits on fats that are low in MUFA, such as corn oil, margarine, tahini, pine nuts and sesame seeds
•One or more servings a day of dark green vegetables
•At least one exchange per day of garlic, onions or leeks
•One tablespoon or more per day of green herbs
•One or more servings a day of red vegetables
•One or more servings a day of yellow or orange vegetables
•One or more servings a day of other vegetables
•One or more servings a day of vitamin C fruits, such as oranges, mangoes and strawberries
•One or more servings a day of other fruits, such as apples, bananas and grapes