Adherence to Mediterranean diet and its relation with cardiovascular diseases in Turkish population

Mediterranean diet (MD) is considered a model for healthy eating. However, prospective evidence in Turkey evaluating the relationship between MD and cardiovascular events is scarce. We surveyed the adherence of Alanya population to MD and its association with coronary heart diseases (CHD). The study population consisted of participants in Alanya, a region placed southern Turkey. Followed-up 900 participants (52 percent women) initially free of CHD during 5.1 years. The general dietary habits of study population were detected with a food frequency questionnaire. Data obtained from that questionnaire were tested with Mediterranean diet score in order to find out the relevance to Mediterranean diet. A MD score (scale 0-8) was computed reflecting high ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fat; high intake of legumes, cereals, vegetables, and fruits; low intakes of meat and it's products, milk and dairy products. Scoring < 5 was defined as Low-MD consuming, while 5+ as High-MD consuming. We observed 25 incident cases of CHD. Consumption of High-MD was 21% in men and 19% in women. The risk for myocardial infarction, coronary bypass, coronary angioplasty, and any cardiovascular disease in men increased by 1.3 (P = 0.02), 1.4 (P = 0.03), 1.5 (P = 0.01), and 1.3 (P = 0.02), respectively, for each MD score decrease. In women, the risk for myocardial infarction and angioplasty increased by 1.3 (P = 0.02) and 1.5 (P = 0.01), respectively, for each MD score decrease. The risk for coronary bypass, and any cardiovascular disease in women, crude odds ratios ranged from 1.1 to 1.3 but were not statistically significant. The current rate of MD in Alanya is fairly low. There is an inverse association between adherence to MD and the incidence of fatal and non-fatal CHD in initially healthy adults.