Dietary Pattern Comparison and the Mediterranean Diet Guidelines: An Evaluation of Eastern and Western Habits and Weight Loss Practices

I. Comparison of Eastern and Western Dietary Patterns

Definition of Dietary Patterns: Dietary patterns refer to the quantity of various foods in the diet and their proportion in the diet, which are closely related to human health. Current dietary patterns can be simply divided into Western diets, Eastern diets, and Mediterranean diets. (1) The Western diet mainly consists of animal foods, with high intake of meat and its products and low intake of plant foods. This dietary pattern easily leads to obesity, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and other nutrition-related diseases. (2) The Eastern diet mainly consists of plant foods, with less intake of animal foods. This dietary pattern easily leads to poor nutritional status and low work capacity. (3) The Mediterranean diet combines the advantages of the above two dietary patterns, with a reasonable combination of carbohydrates and fats. It contains a large amount of complex carbohydrates, high intake of vegetables and fruits, and is characterized by high intake of unsaturated fatty acids. This dietary pattern has a certain protective effect against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Evidence analysis of the relationship between dietary patterns and health shows that a reasonable dietary pattern is characterized by food diversity, with grains as the main food, high dietary fiber intake, and low salt, low sugar, and low fat intake. This dietary pattern mostly consumes high levels of fruits, vegetables, legumes and their products, fish and seafood, while the intake of red meat and saturated fatty acids is relatively low. (1) Dietary patterns and hypertension: The comprehensive evaluation results suggest that a reasonable dietary pattern is a protective factor against hypertension. Studies have found that compared with the Western dietary pattern with high meat intake, people with a reasonable dietary pattern with high fruit and vegetable intake have a lower risk of hypertension. (2) Dietary patterns and cardiovascular diseases: The systematic review results show that the Mediterranean (reasonable diet) pattern is a protective factor against cardiovascular diseases. (3) Dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes: The comprehensive evaluation results suggest that a reasonable dietary pattern is a protective factor against type 2 diabetes. II. Mediterranean Diet Pattern and Weight Loss 1. Definition of Mediterranean Diet The Mediterranean dietary pattern is a dietary structure characterized by high dietary fiber, high vitamins, and low saturated fat. The core foods of the Mediterranean diet include whole grains, vegetables, legumes, herbs, spices, nuts, and healthy fats (such as olive oil). It recommends eating fish and seafood at least twice a week, consuming moderate amounts of dairy products (especially fermented milk such as yogurt and traditional cheese), eggs, and poultry, while limiting red meat and sweets. Water and red wine are common beverages. Furthermore, the Mediterranean diet places great emphasis on moderate exercise and active social life, advocating for sharing meals with family and friends, and is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Evidence suggests that a review of five studies comparing the Mediterranean diet with other weight-loss diets indicates that the Mediterranean diet is also beneficial for maintaining waist circumference. In terms of long-term weight loss, the Mediterranean diet is superior to a low-fat diet. In a 2010 study, 259 overweight diabetic patients were divided into three groups; after one year, the group following the traditional Mediterranean diet all experienced weight loss.

The Mediterranean diet plan is characterized by low refined carbohydrates and high dietary fiber, which is in line with the dietary structure of medical nutrition for weight loss. (1) Diet planning method and standard Staple food: The staple food should be mainly whole grains, which should account for more than 80% of the staple food. Vegetables: It is recommended to eat ≥600g/day of vegetables. Meat: Mainly deep-sea fish, and 150~200g/day is recommended based on individual weight and protein requirements. Dairy and soy products: Soy products or their products should be consumed at around 80g per day or every other day. Oils: Oils should be mainly olive oil rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, and the use of animal oils rich in saturated fatty acids should be reduced; fat can account for up to 35% of the total dietary energy, while saturated fatty acids account for less than 7%~8%. (2) Suitable population: It is suitable for most people who want to lose weight, especially overweight people with complications such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes.

Mediterranean Diet Precautions (1) Principle of moderation: Given the characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, it is necessary to moderately control the intake of alcohol and nuts, especially for individuals with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. (2) Persist in exercise, and do aerobic exercise for more than 30 minutes every day.