02699nas a2200409   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002653001500043653001200058653000800070653001600078653001200094653001100106653001000117653001000127653002300137653002600160653001800186653001500204653002600219653002900245653002400274653002300298653001500321653001500336653002100351653001000372653001400382653001300396100002000409245007600429856015000505300001400655490000800669520159200677022002002269                                       d10aAncel Keys10aarticle10aCHD10aFatty acids10aFinland10aGreece10aItaly10aJapan10aMediterranean diet10aSeven Countries Study10aUnited States10aYugoslavia10acardiovascular effect10acardiovascular mortality10acardiovascular risk10adietary compliance10afat intake10afatty acid10aheart protection10ahuman10alongevity10anonhuman1 aJacques Delarue00aMediterranean Diet and cardiovascular health: an historical perspective  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85108547526&doi=10.1017%2fS0007114521002105&partnerID=40&md5=bd40edb9284dc8af8a94fab4d78a3825  a1335-13480 v1283 aThe first investigation of dietary intake in the Mediterranean region was undertaken at the initiative of the government of Greece in 1948. Plant foods (cereals, pulses, nuts, potatoes, vegetables and fruits) accounted for 61 \% of total energy intake (TEI), animal foods (meat, eggs, fish and dairy products) for 7 \% of TEI and olive oil was the main oil used. In 1950s, Ancel Keys undertook studies in USA, Italy, Spain, England, Japan, Australia and Canada leading him to hypothesise that a link could exist between diet, plasma cholesterol and CHD. Between 1958 and 1964, Keys and co-workers carried out the Seven Countries Study, which enrolled men aged 40-59 years in one of sixteen cohorts from seven countries (Finland, Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia, Japan, USA and Italy). After 15-, 25- and 50-year follow-up, a strong positive relation was observed between saturated fat intake and CHD mortality, and a negative one with Mediterranean Dietary Index. In 1975, Keys and his wife published a book entitled:  How to eat well and stay well. The Mediterranean way , which popularised Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet). After 45-year follow-up, longevity without CHD death was 12 center dot 9 years higher in Crete than in Finland. Protecting effect of MedDiet towards CHD incidence and risk is now confirmed by Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea study and by cohorts  studies gathered in several recent meta-analyses. MedDiet is sustainable and recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, which is the most beautiful homage that can be paid to Ancel Keys and all his co-workers.  a00071145 (ISSN)