Tag: Seven countries study

In 1961, physiologist Ancel Keys appeared on the cover of Time magazine, an indication of his significant influence on American and global dietary habits. So, what did Ancel Keys do that led to such recognition, and why does his legacy remain a topic of debate in the scientific community today? His work covered diverse fields from military rations to large-scale epidemiological studies on heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional eating patterns found in countries like Greece and Southern Italy during the mid-20th century. Its name originates not from a marketing gimmick, but from the groundbreaking scientific work of American biologist Ancel Keys, who studied the remarkable health and longevity of these populations.

First documented by American researcher Ancel Keys in the mid-20th century, the term *Mediterranean diet* was coined to describe the traditional eating patterns he observed in Southern Europe. This was based on the strikingly low rates of heart disease among populations in countries like Italy and Greece.

In 2010, the Mediterranean diet was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but its modern popularity stems from research in the 1950s led by American physiologist Ancel Keys. Keys is widely considered the founder of the modern concept, though the eating patterns he studied had existed for millennia.

In the mid-20th century, following a severe decrease in coronary heart disease during World War II, physiologist Ancel Keys began investigating the link between diet and heart health. It was this curiosity that ultimately led to Keys and his wife, Margaret, introducing the Mediterranean diet as a concept to the world, though the eating pattern itself is thousands of years old.

In the 1950s, American physiologist Ancel Keys observed a significantly lower incidence of heart disease in post-war populations of Southern Italy compared to affluent Americans, sparking an investigation into the role of diet in cardiovascular health. This surprising finding set the stage for what would become the renowned Mediterranean diet concept.

The modern Mediterranean diet became widely known in 1975, thanks to the influential work of American biologist Ancel Keys and his wife, chemist Margaret Keys. Yet, its roots trace back millennia, founded upon the traditional eating patterns of cultures living near the Mediterranean Sea.