Conference Summarizes Health Benefits of Olive Oil

by | May 5, 2010 | 2008, Cardiovascular Health, Olive & Monosaturated

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. This article summarizes the benefits of olive oil and the Mediterranean Diet.

The World Health Organization defined chronic disease as “diseases of long duration and generally slow progression” (1). Chronic diseases include cardiovascular disease (the #1 cause of death globally, expected to cause 23.6 million deaths by 2030 (2)), cancer (7.4 million deaths in 2004, 30% of which are preventable) (3), chronic respiratory diseases (affecting 210 million people worldwide and expected to increase by 30% in the next 10 years (4)), and diabetes (affecting 220 million people worldwide, with deaths expected to double by 2030 (5)).

Chronic diseases are “by far the leading cause of mortality in the world”, representing 60% of all deaths, claiming 35 million lives in 2005 (1). Increased attention has been paid to the role of diet in disease prevention, specifically the Mediterranean Diet, due to its’ high content of olive oil and its’ high antioxidant content (6). In October 2004, the First International Conference on the Healthy Effects of Virgin Olive Oil (VOO) convened in Spain and a summary of scientific evidences was published (7). In 2008, a second conference was held to further discuss the health effects of virgin olive oil, due to the rapid accumulation of scientific evidence (8).

What were some of the findings presented there?

  • For overall chronic disease risk, the researchers concluded there is now “sufficient scientific evidence…that increasing adherence to the dietary pattern characteristic of Mediterranean countries is associated with a reduction of overall, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, and incidence of CHD, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases” (9)
  • Regarding cancer, research has pointed to a “favorable influence of olive oil on the initiation, promotion and progression of cancer” (10, 11). They also cite that including olive oil into the diet ensures an appropriate intake of essential PUFA, with a low ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA. Both features are considered important to lower the risk of breast cancer and probably other types of cancer (12).
  • Regarding obesity, studies in Mediterranean countries where people following the Mediterranean Diet consumed “significant amounts” of olive oil and “suggests that increasing adherence to such high-fat, high-[olive oil] dietary pattern is associated with decreasing obesity rates” (13).
  • For diabetes, two studies suggest a lower incidence of diabetes with increasing adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, not only in previously healthy persons (14) but also heart attack survivors (15)

Unfortunately, no specifics were given on the olive intake amounts that elicited these healthful effects nor did the researchers give any recommendations on olive oil intake. Nevertheless, olive oil continues to be a very important part of a healthy diet.

Source: López-Miranda, José, et al. “Olive oil and health: summary of the II international conference on olive oil and health consensus report, Jaén and Córdoba (Spain) 2008.” Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 20.4 (2010): 284-294.

© 2009 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Posted May 5, 2010.

References:

  1. “Chronic Disease” – posted on the World Health Organization website.
  2. “Cardiovascular Diseases” – posted on the World Health Organization website.
  3. “Cancer” –  posted on the World Health Organization website.
  4. “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” – posted on the World Health Organization website.
  5. “Diabetes” – posted on the World Health Organization website.
  6. Di Benedetto R.  Tyrosol, the major extra virgin olive oil compound, restored intracellular antioxidant defences in spite of its weak antioxidative effectiveness.  Nutr Metab Cardio Diseases In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 22 August 2006.
  7. Perez -Jimenez F. International conference on t he healthy effect of virgin olive oil. Eur J Clin Invest 2005;35: 421e4.
  8. Lope z-Miranda J, et al., Olive oil and health: Summary of the II international conference on olive oil and health consensus report, Jae´n and Co´rdoba (Spain) 2008, Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis (2010), doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2009.12.007.
  9. Sofi F, Cesari F, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A. Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and health status: meta-analysis. BMJ 2008;337:a1344.
  10. Escrich E.  Olive oil and health. Oxfordshire: CAB International; 2006. p. 317e74.
  11. Costa I.  High-fat corn oil diet promotes the development of high histologic grade rat DMBAinduced mammary adenocarcinomas, while high olive oil diet does not. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2004;86:225 e35.
  12. Bougnoux P, Giraudeau B, Couet C. Diet, cancer, and the lipidome. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15: 416e 21.
  13. Schroder H, Marrugat J, Vila J, Covas MI, Elosua R. Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean Diet is inversely associated with body mass index and obesity in a spanish population. J Nutr 2004;134:3355 e61.
  14. Martinez-Gonzalez MA, de la Fuente-Arrillaga C, NunezCordoba JM, Basterra-Gortari FJ, Beunza JJ, Vazquez Z, et al. Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and risk of developing diabetes: prospective cohort study. BMJ 2008;336:1348e51.
  15. Mozaffarian D, Marfisi R, Levantesi G, Silletta MG, Tavazzi L, Tognoni G, et al. Incidence of new-onset diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in patients with recent myocardial infarction and the effect of clinical and lifestyle risk factors. Lancet 2007;370:667e75.