A New Score for Quantifying Adherence to a Cancer-Preventive Mediterranean Diet

Abstract

Herein a Mediterranean Cancer Preventive Diet Score (MCAP Score) is proposed to quantify adherence to both traditional Mediterranean fat intakes and the current dietary recommendations for cancer prevention. The scoring uses research-backed cutoff values, unlike other scores that are based on a population-specific median value. The MCAP score awards positive points for seven preventive food categories, including Mediterranean fats (monounsaturated fats, ω-3 fatty acids) associated with reduced adiposity, and negative points for four food categories associated with increased cancer risk, including ultra-processed foods. In a randomized trial of 120 persons at increased risk of colon cancer, the baseline MCAP Score averaged seven of 20 possible points. Counseling for a Healthy Diet or a Mediterranean Diet improved the score to either 11 or 13 points, respectively, and the highest score observed in any individual was 20 points. The MCAP Score was correlated with serum carotenoids and serum ω-3 fatty acids, and improvements in the score were associated with weight loss over six months of study. The MCAP Score is therefore proposed as a new method to assess adherence to a Mediterranean type of diet for cancer prevention using absolute criteria that will facilitate comparisons of dietary intakes across studies.

Acknowledgments

We thank all the individuals who volunteered for the Healthy Eating Study for Colon Cancer Prevention.

Disclosure Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest with the research presented here.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, ZD, SR; Data Acquisition, ZD; Resources, ZD, SR; Data Analysis, ZD, SR; Writing – Original Draft Preparation, ZD, SR; Writing – Review & Editing, ZD, SR; Funding Acquisition, ZD.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by NIH grants RO1 CA120381, and Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA046592 (Immunology Core Laboratory). The study utilized core resources supported by a Clinical Translational Science Award, NIH grant UL1RR024986 that funds the Michigan Clinical Research Unit, the Michigan Diabetes Research Center NIH grant 5P60 DK020572 (Chemistry Laboratory), and the Michigan Nutrition and Obesity Research Center NIH grant P30 DK089503.