Quick Study

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Benefits appear to extend beyond the heart.

THE QUESTION Might the Mediterranean diet, shown to help fight heart disease, prove beneficial against other chronic disorders as well?

THIS STUDY analyzed data from 12 studies, involving nearly 1.6 million adults whose dietary habits were monitored for up to 18 years. The more closely people had adhered to a Mediterranean diet (rich in fruit, vegetables, grains, fish, nuts, olive oil and moderate amounts of red wine, but low in red meat, dairy products and other alcohol) the less likely they were to have developed or died from a chronic disease. Specifically, people who most strictly followed the diet were 9 percent less likely to have died from cardiovascular disease, 6 percent less likely to have a cancer diagnosis and 13 percent less likely to have developed Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease than were those whose eating patterns were not in line with the diet.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Adults who follow the Mediterranean diet.

CAVEATS Variations occur among people following a Mediterranean diet, and the study did not determine whether different food and drink components had differing effects on the outcome.

FIND THIS STUDY Sept. 11 online issue of BMJ.

LEARN MORE ABOUT the Mediterranean diet at http://www.americanheart.org and http://www.mayoclinic.com.

MIGRAINE

Clots in veins may be more common with migraines.

THE QUESTION Should people who get migraine headaches be on the alert for clogged veins or arteries?

THIS STUDY involved 574 people, age 55 and older; 111 of them had experienced migraines. Based on medical records and ultrasound scans of arteries in the neck and thighs of all participants, there was little or no difference in the presence, severity or progression of atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries from plaque buildup) among those who did and did not have migraine diagnoses. However, 19 percent of people with migraines had experienced venous thrombosis (blood clots in a vein), compared with 8 percent of those who had no history of migraines.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? People who experience migraines, which occur up to three times more often among women than men.

CAVEATS Data on migraines were based in part on participants' recall, as well as on neurological exams.

FIND THIS STUDY Sept. 16 issue of Neurology.

LEARN MORE ABOUT migraines at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders and http://www.familydoctor.org.

-- Linda Searing

The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.