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The Mediterranean diet is widely recognised as one of the healthiest and most sustainable eating patterns in the world. Rooted in the olive-growing regions of the Mediterranean basin, it is more than a dietary model – it is a cultural heritage shaped by centuries of tradition, with olive oil at its heart.
Although its origins are ancient, the Mediterranean diet began gaining international scientific recognition in the 1960s, thanks to the pioneering work of Professor Ancel Keys and the landmark Seven Countries Study. This momentum grew through the collaborative efforts of leading institutions such as the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the World Health Organisation and Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust. Their work led to the creation of the now-iconic Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, first presented in the early 1990s, and supported by scientific publications that reshaped global nutrition thinking.
Since then, decades of research have confirmed the Mediterranean diet’s ability to reduce cardiovascular risk, improve cognitive function, combat cellular ageing, and even help prevent certain types of cancer. Its emphasis on plant-based foods, seasonal produce, moderate consumption, and above all, extra virgin olive oil, make it a model for both human and planetary health. In recognition of its cultural value, the Mediterranean diet was inscribed by UNESCO in 2013 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
On occasion of the 30th anniversary of the publication of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, the world’s leading experts in the matter recently published an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that sheds light on its development and advances. The article “Three decades of the Mediterranean diet pyramid: A narrative review of its history, evolution, and advances”, authored by Frank Hu, Greg Drescher, Antonia Trichopoulou, Walter C. Willett and Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, is available for free through this link.
In 2024, and in the framework of the celebration of World Olive Tree Day – proclaimed by UNESCO in 2019 and that takes place on 26 November ever year – the IOC welcomed these experts and scientists in Madrid, who shared valuable insights on the world’s healthiest dietary model which holds olive oil at its heart. In this section of the IOC’s website, you can listen to the video interviews of the experts’ thoughts on the challenges and opportunities of the Mediterranean diet. These videos highlight the ongoing contributions of researchers who have shaped global awareness of the Mediterranean diet and continue to advance its role in nutrition science, cultural preservation and sustainable development. The interviews are available in English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, Italian and Spanish.
