MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND LIFESTYLE: A PROVED APPROACH TO HEALTHY LONGEVITY

Aging is a multifactorial and progressive process, universal and irreversible, that takes place at different levels, affecting practically all-living organisms. Human life expectancy increased extraordinarily during the last century worldwide. Currently, there is growing evidence that there are modifiable factors that contribute to ageing per se, and particularly to longevity (i.e. diet, physical and mental activity). These factors may interact with the ageing process and may alter the susceptibility of an individual to develop age-associated diseases. There is currently much promise in research that provides information about the underlying biology of ageing and longevity, which has unveiled possible interventions to slow the ageing process, including a healthy lifestyle in terms of nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation, as well as new discoveries that result from basic research. Diet is a major determinant of the ageing process itself and of the development of age-associated diseases. There is strong evidence of the influence of diet on the health status. Epidemiological and experimental evidence have emphasized the traditional diet from the Mediterranean basin as a possible contributor to longevity and good quality of life.