The mediterranean diet md emerged as a healthy food regimen long before it could be recognised which nutrients or foods were responsible for its observed benefits and it was only in the middle of the last century that the first scientific approach the seven countries study appeared epidemiological and anthropological studies of the md converged first by investigating at single nutrients or foods then by adopting the more holistic approach of dietary patterns dp and now with a . The mediterranean diet culture health and science the mediterranean diet culture health and science the mediterranean diet culture health and science br j nutr 2015 apr113 suppl 2s1 3 doi 101017 s0007114515001087 authors lorenzo . The average adherence of mediterranean diet was low 764 228 worsening with age and adiposity significantly the average level of physical activity was moderate 302 074 lower in girls . Recent large scale epidemiological studies have confirmed the pre eminence of the mediterranean diet for reducing the risk of primary and secondary heart disease and cancer there is also increasingly convincing evidence for its protective value against diabetes dementias and other age related disorders and for increasing overall longevity the mediterranean diet health and science is a