Diet and overall survival in elderly people
BMJ 1995; 311 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.311.7018.1457 (Published 02 December 1995) Cite this as: BMJ 1995;311:1457
- Antonia Trichopoulou, professora,
- Antigone Kouris-Blazos, lecturerb,
- Mark L Wahlqvist, professorb,
- Charalambos Gnardellis, research fellowa,
- Pagona Lagiou, research fellowa,
- Evangelos Polychronopoulos, lecturera,
- Tonia Vassilakou, research fellowa,
- Loren Lipworth, doctoral candidatec,
- Dimitrios Trichopoulos, professorc
- aa National Centre for Nutrition, National School of Public Health, Leoforos Alexandras 196, Athens 115-21, Greece,
- bb Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3168, Australia,
- cc Department of Epidemiology and Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
- Correspondence to: Professor Trichopoulos.
- Accepted 20 September 1995
Abstract
Objective: To assess the influence of a specific dietary pattern on overall survival.
Design: Cohort study.
Setting: Three rural Greek villages, the data from which were collected as part of an international cross cultural study of food habits in later life.
Subjects: 182 elderly residents of the three villages.
Main outcome measure: Overall mortality.
Results: Diet was assessed with a validated extensive semiquantitative questionnaire on food intake. A one unit increase in diet score, devised a priori on the basis of eight component characteristics of the traditional common diet in the Mediterranean region, was associated with a significant 17% reduction in overall mortality (95% confidence interval 1% to 31%).
Conclusion: A diet meeting currently understood health criteria does predict survival among people.
Footnotes
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Funding In Greece, by the ministry of health (grant No E139/94), and in Boston by a grant to Harvard University from Theodore and Gianna Angelopoulos.
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Conflict of interest None.
- Accepted 20 September 1995