DIET AND MORTALITY IN A COHORT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN A NORTH EUROPEAN-COMMUNITY

Background. In studies from Italy and Greece a Mediterranean dietary p attern predicts overall survival. Despite an increase in the movement of food around the world, there is still a wide spectrum of dietary pa tterns and the aim of the present study was to examine the association between a Mediterranean dietary pattern and mortality in a cohort of elderly people living in a North European Community. Methods. Diet and nutritional status was studied among 202 men and women born 1914-1918 and living in a Danish Municipality (Roskilde) in 1988. They were fol lowed for 6 years. Results. A diet score, with seven dietary character istics of the Mediterranean diet, was associated with a significant re duction in overall mortality. A one unit increase in the diet score pr edicted a 21% (95% confidence interval 2-36%) reduction in mortality. Subjects with high diet scores (greater than or equal to 4) had signif icantly higher plasma carotene levels than those with a low score and plasma carotene was negatively associated with mortality. Conclusion. A Mediterranean diet score predicts survival in a North European popul ation. Plasma carotene may serve as an intermediate factor in this ass ociation.