Skip Navigation

Cardiovascular Research 2002 54(3):503-515; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(01)00545-4
© 2002 by European Society of Cardiology
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by de Lorgeril, M.
Right arrow Articles by de Leiris, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by de Lorgeril, M.
Right arrow Articles by de Leiris, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Copyright © 2002, European Society of Cardiology

Mediterranean diet and the French paradox

Two distinct biogeographic concepts for one consolidated scientific theory on the role of nutrition in coronary heart disease

Michel de Lorgerila,*, Patricia Salena, François Paillarda,b, François Laportea, François Bouchera and Joël de Leirisa

aLaboratoire du Stress Cardiovasculaire et Pathologies Associées, Laboratoire de Biologie du Stress Oxydant, UFR de Médecine et Pharmacie, Grenoble, France
bDépartement de Cardiologie, CHU de Rennes, Rennes, France

michel.delorgeril@ujf-grenoble.fr

* Corresponding author. Laboratoire du Stress Cardiovasculaire et Pathologies Associées, UFR de Médecine et Pharmacie, Domaine de la Merci, 38706 La Tronche, Grenoble, France. Tel.: +33-4-7663-7471; fax: +33-4-7663-7152

Received 16 August 2001; accepted 12 November 2001

KEYWORDS Coronary disease; Epidemiology

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.


   1 Introduction
 
Scientists and physicians have long been debating the Mediterranean-style diet and the French paradox for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, folksy they sound, these two biogeographic concepts can still be very useful to explain unexpected or controversial medical and scientific data, such as the low mortality rate from CHD in Mediterranean Southern Europe and in France as compared with other European countries. Understanding these concepts may help improve our ability to treat and prevent CHD. Most of the present confusion probably comes from the consistent underestimation by physicians and scientists of the role of nutrition in CHD. This article is not aimed at giving a comprehensive review of these two complex notions, which have to be analyzed in a broad geographic, climatic, agricultural, historical and socioeconomic context. We will only provide a superficial overview, in relation to the epidemiology of CHD. Finally, we will try to introduce the two concepts . . . [Full Text of this Article]


   2 The Mediterranean-style diet
 
2.1 Definition
2.2 Historical overview
2.3 A consensus about the concept of the cardioprotective Mediterranean diet
2.4 Geographic variations
2.5 Variations in time
2.6 Comments

   3 The French paradox for coronary heart disease
 
3.1 Definition
3.2 Historical overview
3.3 What is the role of the diet in the French paradox?
3.4 May alcohol and wine drinking have a role in the French paradox?
3.5 Dietary diversity and attitudes to food and drink
3.6 Comments

   4 Conclusion and prospects
 

Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Lipid Res.Home page
N. Ren, R. Kaplan, M. Hernandez, K. Cheng, L. Jin, A. K. P. Taggart, A. Y. Zhu, X. Gan, S. D. Wright, and T.-Q. Cai
Phenolic acids suppress adipocyte lipolysis via activation of the nicotinic acid receptor GPR109A (HM74a/PUMA-G)
J. Lipid Res., May 1, 2009; 50(5): 908 - 914.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
L. H. Opie and S. Lecour
The red wine hypothesis: from concepts to protective signalling molecules
Eur. Heart J., July 2, 2007; 28(14): 1683 - 1693.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Nutr.Home page
K. Dalziel, L. Segal, and M. de Lorgeril
A Mediterranean Diet Is Cost-Effective in Patients with Previous Myocardial Infarction
J. Nutr., July 1, 2006; 136(7): 1879 - 1885.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CirculationHome page
E. Zitron, E. Scholz, R. W. Owen, S. Luck, C. Kiesecker, D. Thomas, S. Kathofer, F. Niroomand, J. Kiehn, V. A.W. Kreye, et al.
QTc Prolongation by Grapefruit Juice and Its Potential Pharmacological Basis: HERG Channel Blockade by Flavonoids
Circulation, February 22, 2005; 111(7): 835 - 838.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
J.-B. Ruidavets, V. Bataille, J. Dallongeville, C. Simon, A. Bingham, P. Amouyel, D. Arveiler, P. Ducimetiere, and J. Ferrieres
Alcohol intake and diet in France, the prominent role of lifestyle
Eur. Heart J., July 1, 2004; 25(13): 1153 - 1162.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Am Coll CardiolHome page
F. J. Pashkow
The prudent person's paradox
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., May 7, 2003; 41(9): 1480 - 1481.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Am Coll CardiolHome page
A. M. Gotto Jr
Antioxidants, statins, and atherosclerosis
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 2, 2003; 41(7): 1205 - 1210.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]