Immunosenescence Unit, Department of Pathobiology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Rejuvenation Res. 2012 Apr;15(2):184-8. doi: 10.1089/rej.2011.1280.
Over the past several years, increasing evidence suggests that the Mediterranean diet has a beneficial influence on several age-related diseases, showing protective effect on health and longevity. Mediterranean diet refers to dietary patterns found in olive-growing regions of the Mediterranean countries. Previous data reported that in Sicily, Italy, the largest Mediterranean island, there are some mountainous regions where there is a high frequency of male centenarians with respect to the Italian average. The aim of the present study was to characterize centenarians living in one of this region, the Sicani Mountains, located in western Sicily. Present data shows that in this zone there are more centenarians with respect to the Italian average. In fact, in the three villages of the Sicani Mountains, there were 15 people ranging from 100 to 107 years old, of the total population of about 10,000 inhabitants. This centenarian number was more than six-fold higher the national average (15.0 vs. 2.4/10,000); the female/male ratio was 1.5 in the study area, whereas the national ratio is 4.54. Centenarians living in these villages had anthropometric measurements within normal limits and moderate sensory disability without any sign of age-related diseases, including cognitive deterioration and dementia. In addition, their clinical chemistry profile was similar to young controls and far better than that of old controls. Unequivocally, their nutritional assessment showed a high adherence to the Mediterranean nutritional profile, with low glycemic index food consumed. Overall, close adherence to Mediterranean diet seems to play a key role in age-related disease prevention and in attaining longevity.
在过去的几年中，越来越多的证据表明，地中海饮食对多种与年龄相关的疾病有有益的影响，对健康和长寿有保护作用。地中海饮食是指在地中海国家的橄榄种植地区发现的饮食模式。以前的数据报告称，在意大利最大的地中海岛屿西西里岛，有一些山区，那里的男性百岁老人的比例高于意大利的平均水平。本研究的目的是描述居住在该地区之一的西西里西部西卡尼山脉的百岁老人。目前的数据显示，该地区的百岁老人比例高于意大利的平均水平。事实上，在西卡尼山脉的三个村庄中，有 15 人年龄在 100 到 107 岁之间，而总人口约为 10000 人。这个百岁老人的数量是全国平均水平的六倍多（15.0 比 2.4/10000）；该地区的女性/男性比例为 1.5，而全国比例为 4.54。生活在这些村庄的百岁老人的人体测量值在正常范围内，感官障碍适中，没有任何与年龄相关的疾病迹象，包括认知能力下降和痴呆。此外，他们的临床化学特征与年轻对照组相似，远优于老年对照组。毫无疑问，他们的营养评估显示出对地中海营养模式的高度遵循，食用低升糖指数的食物。总的来说，严格遵循地中海饮食似乎在预防与年龄相关的疾病和实现长寿方面起着关键作用。
