Mediterranean diet vs. American Heart Association Diet

In 1994, the Lyon Heart Study demonstrated a 50-70% reduction in coronary events in participants who followed a diet rich in vegetables, olive oil, fish, nuts, red wine, and enjoyed meals as a family activity. Various other studies have documented similar phenomena with less metabolic syndrome, better lipid patterns, less obesity with the Mediterranean lifestyle.

There are two fundamental differences between the Mediterranean diet and the diet advocated by the American Heart Association (AHA) for people with heart disease: the Mediterranean diet uses olive oil more liberally, such that fat calories can reach 40% of total; and, unlike the AHA diet, processed foods are not a part of the Mediterranean diet. Greeks, for instance, are far less likely to eat Count Chocula cereal for breakfast, or snack on Healthy Choice Premium Caramel Swirl Sandwich (ice cream sandwiches) or Malt-O-Meal Honey Nut Scooters. All three of these foods on listed on the AHA Heart-Check Mark heart-healthy program.

In other words, remove all the processed foods, and the AHA diet pretty closely resembles the Mediterranean diet. There are differences but they tend to be relatively small. If the only major difference is the presence of processed foods, wouldn't you therefore expect the AHA to embrace the Mediterranean diet?

Here's what their official stand on the Mediterranean diet states:

Does a Mediterranean-style diet follow American Heart Association dietary recommendations?

Mediterranean-style diets are often close to our dietary recommendations, but they don’t follow them exactly. In general, the diets of Mediterranean peoples contain a relatively high percentage of calories from fat. This is thought to contribute to the increasing obesity in these countries, which is becoming a concern.



The AHA is actually lukewarm towards the diet that was the first to show a dramatic decrease in heart attack and death. Why?

The answer is obvious, once cast in this light. To wholeheartedly endorse the Mediterranean diet might be seen as an indirect rejection of American processed foods. You know, the foods that have caused an extraordinary and unprecedented epidemic of obesity in the U.S., the foods that are manufactured by ConAgra, General Mills, Kelloggs--all also major financial contributors to the AHA, according to the AHA Annual Report.

I tell my patients: If you want heart disease, follow the American Heart Association diet. In my view, it is a diet founded on politics and money, not on health. How else could Cocoa Puffs be regarded as heart healthy?

Comments (4) -

  • DietKing2

    6/18/2007 1:25:00 PM |

    Hey Doc, leave my Count Chocula and Cocoa Puffs alone, man! Well, at least you didn't go after my beloved Cocoa Pebbles! (This is what I was raised on...wonder why I'm addicted to sugar??)
    I'm just kiddin ya, you know that. It just annoys me when you bring these things to light-the AHA witholding support of a diet (or lifestyle perhaps?) that is obviously so much better than their program. This is a group of supposedly intelligent professionals who you would think would want what's best for the American people as a whole.
    Enjoyed reading this post, but I still wish they'd invent 'Mediterranean Cocoa Pebbles' or something. LOL
    Adam

  • Anonymous

    6/30/2008 12:11:00 AM |

    Uh huh. Now I see what has been going on when my husband has been in the hospital for a 4 in 1 heart procedure (aortic valve replacement, one bypass, MAZE {?} procedure and restructuring of a portion of a heart chamber). I invariably raised my eyebrows at his food tray, but finally flipped out when a breakfast tray had french toast with syrup, Frosted Flakes and apple juice, in addition to eggs, sausage and milk. My husband loved every bit of it because he rarely gets that type of food at home. In fact, Frosted Flakes and their kin are strictly banned in this house since we're both fighting a tendency toward high blood sugar.
    Then there was the hospital version of chicken fried steak, with gravy yet. Pork chop another day, with gravy of course. Plenty of gravy on potatoes and butter for rice and rolls. A turkey sandwich on white bread for an evening snack, with a hefty packet of mayo. Smuckers peanut butter. And on and on I could go.
    I wanted to run through the hospital kitchens screaming, "Are you people nuts? Or are you trying to assure repeat visits?"
    Incidently, this was the "regular" hospital diet which my husband's heart surgeon allows during his patient's recovery period.
    Another week or two of this at home and then he's supposed to buckle down and eat right. Oooookay. But Frosted Flakes are still banned.

  • Anavar

    5/18/2010 11:56:31 AM |

    No diet is necessary if you just change white carbs for whole grains and bad fat for good fat. And weight will be gone for sure. And of course exercise must be included too. No diet is as successful as this.

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 7:33:19 PM |

    In other words, remove all the processed foods, and the AHA diet pretty closely resembles the Mediterranean diet. There are differences but they tend to be relatively small. If the only major difference is the presence of processed foods, wouldn't you therefore expect the AHA to embrace the Mediterranean diet?

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The Plavix Scam

The Plavix Scam

Periodically, I'll see a flurry of TV ads for Plavix. It comes with a polished computer-animated cartoon that shows how platelets clump and form a blood clot, causing heart attack.

Imagine there's a pile of oil-soaked rags in a corner of your garage. I come by and tell you to get a good fire extinguisher to keep next to the rag pile in case they spontaneously ignite.

Does that make sense to you?

Wouldn't it be better to get rid of the oily rags and forget about the fire extinguisher?

Plavix is the fire extinguisher. The oil rags are your coronary plaque. The solution is to gain control over plaque behavior. Unfortunately, the TV ads (intentionally, I suspect) give the impression that blood clots just form out of the blue for no reason. Of course that's not true. It requires active, growing, inflamed atheroslcerotic plaque that ruptures, uncovering the "angry" and platelet-adhering material underneath the thin covering or endothelial lining.

Urging everybody to take Plavix is absurd. The TV ads urge many people who have no business taking the drug to take it. There are, without a doubt, groups of people who are better off taking Plavix and aspirin: people who are in the midst of heart attack, people who have unstable plaque, people with recent stents or bypass. Perhaps people at high risk for plaque rupture, e.g., extensive coronary plaque that has continued to grow.

These tactics are consistent with the experiences I've had with the sales representatives from the company (when I used to actually talk to sales reps; my office is now barred from them). The reps very aggressively would urge me to consider having everyone take Plavix. No kidding.


For us, i.e., for people who just have a heart scan score but interested in engaging in a powerful program of prevention and reversal, Plavix rarely provides any advantage. The answer is, just like our oily rag analogy, control the plaque, not put out the fire.

Comments (3) -

  • Moderator Mike

    4/12/2007 11:23:00 PM |

    Fantastic blog!  Just what I was searching for when I found you via a blog directory (BlogFlux).

    Question though....where is the "Track Your Placque" website that accompanies this blog?

    Thanks.

  • Dr. Davis

    4/12/2007 11:44:00 PM |

    Mike--

    The website address is:

    www.trackyourplaque.com

    Dr. Davis

  • buy jeans

    11/2/2010 7:38:35 PM |

    These tactics are consistent with the experiences I've had with the sales representatives from the company (when I used to actually talk to sales reps; my office is now barred from them). The reps very aggressively would urge me to consider having everyone take Plavix. No kidding.

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