Cost and Cost-Effectiveness of the Mediterranean Diet: Results of a Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract:The growing impact of chronic degenerative pathologies (such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease) requires and pushes towards the development of new preventive strategies to reduce the incidence and prevalence of these diseases. Lifestyle changes, especially related to the Mediterranean diet, have the potential to modify disease outcomes and ultimately costs related to their management. The objective of the study was to perform a systematic review of the scientific literature, to gauge the economic performance and the cost-effectiveness of the adherence to the Mediterranean diet as a prevention strategy against degenerative pathologies. We investigated the monetary costs of adopting Mediterranean dietary patterns by determining cost differences between low and high adherence. Research was conducted using the PubMed and Scopus databases. Eight articles met the pre-determined inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Quality assessment and data extraction was performed. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been extensively reported to be associated with a favorable health outcome and a better quality of life. The implementation of a Mediterranean dietary pattern may lead to the prevention of degenerative pathologies and to an improvement in life expectancy, a net gain in health and a reduction in total lifetime costs.

Health Economic Evaluation Modeling Shows Potential Health Care Cost Savings with Increased Conformance with Healthy Dietary Patterns among Adults in the United States

“…Previous studies have reviewed or evaluated the cost effectiveness 67,68 and potential health care savings 13,14 associated with a Mediterranean-style diet. The health outcomes included in these reviews and analyses were limited to heart disease end points and only one considered health care costs in the United States.…”

Perceptions of parents and children, participating in a school‐based feeding programme in disadvantaged areas in Greece: a qualitative study

“…The cost of the Mediterranean diet is estimated to be rather rational for a middle-income household in Greece (Vlismas et al 2010), which might be not the case for families in low SES areas. Concerning the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, Mediterranean societies are rapidly withdrawing from this eating pattern, mainly due to influence from the Western diet patterns and the increasing prices of some of main Mediterranean diets' food items (Saulle et al 2013).…”

What evidence for the benefits of ‘5-a-day’, a Mediterranean diet and sodium restriction on health?

“…A systematic review of economic analyses drew on eight studies, three of which looked at healthcare cost savings 28. One of these found that the Mediterranean diet was highly cost-effective for increasing quality adjusted life years after a first myocardial infarction.…”

“…A primary prevention study found lower healthcare costs in adults following the diet, who gained an average six life-years that were lost to disability in those not following the diet. Another study in the review found a cost-effectiveness ratio of £1,300 per non-fatal myocardial infarction avoided 28. Five studies in the review looked at the costs of the diet, compared with a traditional Western diet.…”