Mediterranean Diet Foundation

The Foundation for the Advancement of the Meditarranean Diet (La Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Dieta Mediterránea, or FDDM) is a non-profit organization with a strictly scientific and cultural agenda that aims to promote the study, investigation and dissemination of the many advantages of the Mediterranean Diet that contribute to health and general well-being.

Objectives
The mission of the Foundation is to promote investigation of the health, historical, cultural and gastronomical aspects of the Mediterranean Diet. Another one of the Foundation’s objectives is the dissemination of scientific findings about the diet and the promotion of its healthful use among different population groups. Children and adolescents are of particular interest because they constitute a segment of the population that is abandoning healthy eating habits most quickly. Thus, the FDDM provides scientific support not only for our stake-holders but also for the general population.

History
A group of companies from the food and agriculture sector became aware of the need to alert the public of the risks of abandoning healthy eating patterns, especially for children. So they decided to create the Association for the Advancement of the Mediterranean Diet (ADDM) in 1995, with the mission of encouraging the consumption of traditional Mediterranean products.

In order to keep alive the scientific knowledge that verifies the virtues of the Mediterranean food model, the ADDM, jointly with other institutions such as the Barcelona City Council, created the Foundation (FDDM) in 1996.

The Foundation Team
The FDDM team includes Lluís Serra Majem (President), Francisco Sensat Alemany (Vice-president), Joan Castells Gómez (Director), Anna Bach and Blanca Roman (Science Coordinators) and Isabel Bertomeu (Nutritionist).

The FDDM Scientific Secretariat is located in the Parc Científic of Barcelona, a scientific center of excellence that houses different research groups and organizations, both independent and affiliated with the University of Barcelona.

The Scientific Committee
The FDDM scientific committee consists of 23 recognized international investigators from 12 different Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean countries. It advises the Foundation on scientific matters and is presided over by the President of the Foundation, Lluís Serra Majem, Professor of Preventative Medicine and Public Health at the University of the Las Palmas of Grand Canary.

Activities
From its creation, the FDDM has been involved in a variety of activities, including:

· Dissemination of new research findings and updates regarding the Mediterranean diet through biennial International Conferences that take place during one of the biggest international food exhibitions, Alimentaria. To date, six conferences have been held, during a decade of important discoveries of the benefits of the Mediterranean dietary pattern. At the first conference (1996), the Declaration of Barcelona on the Mediterranean Diet was signed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Food (MAPA), the Barcelona City Council and FDDM.

· Creation of the Grande Covián award in 1996, with the objective of recognizing professionals with outstanding carriers that have contributed to the study of the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. In addition to the recipient’s scientific merit, the award considers their humanitarian contributions and personal qualities. The awardees prior to 2006 include Elisabet Helsing (Norway), Ancel Keys (USA), Flaminio Fidanza (Italy), F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer (USA), Antonia Trichopoulou (Greece), Dimitrios Trichopoulos (Greece), Gregorio Varela (Spain) and Walter Willett (USA).

· The granting of Honorary Diplomas since 2002 in recognition of individuals who have excelled in the cultural and social sphere with their contribution to the promotion of the Mediterranean culture. These diplomas are awarded at the same ceremony as the Grande Covián award, at each biennial Conference. Individuals recognized in this way so far include Ferran Adrià, Fausto Luchetti, José Mataix, Georges Moustaki, Joan Manuel Serrat, Jean-Pierre Vandelle, Bigas Luna and Dun Gifford, among others.

· The creation of a web page (www.dietamediterranea.com) that provides information on scientific and popular articles and conferences. Development of distance education courses that cover the nutritional history, gastronomy and various other aspects of the Mediterranean Diet, developed for both specialists and the general public (e.g. post-graduate distance course on the Mediterranean Diet, distance diploma on the Mediterranean Diet for food service managers as well as a practical course on the Mediterranean Diet for non-professionals).

· The publishing of books about the Mediterranean Diet, with volumes directed toward professionals as well as the general public. Publications have additionally included conference proceedings and a recipe collection. · Establishment of institutional collaborations with the objective of promoting educational initiatives around the Mediterranean Diet. Examples include the creation of a nutrition education campaign directed toward elementary (primary) schools and investigative research projects in collaboration with national and international institutions and centers such as Med Diet Net (EU) and INIA (The Ministry of Science and Technology).

· Mediterranean Diet workshops in schools to encourage healthful eating habits and physical activity in children. · A Mediterranean Diet bus in Valencia y Catalonia to create awareness and educate children on the benefits and importance of consuming a Mediterranean diet.

· Creation of the Mediterranean Diet Surveillance System (Observatorio de Dieta Mediterránea, ODM) in collaboration with the Barcelona City Council. The ODM is a tool with which the Foundation could systematically and rigorously pursue scientific research on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for various chronic diseases and overall health as well as on the consumption, production and the commerce of Mediterranean food products. These factors are interrelated and intimately connected to the health of individuals. The system desires to contribute to better knowledge, preservation and expansion of the Mediterranean dietary pattern, providing information for decision-making to both public and private organizations and institutions so that the most effective approaches to promoting the diet can be adopted.

· Publication of the book “Gurmed,” a collection of Mediterranean recipes that make it possible to enjoy both the pleasures of the table and health. Thirty Barcelonian restaurant professionals as well as cooking enthusiasts, each present a recipe which includes a tasting note and a nutritional commentary.

· Publication of a card game for children ages 7-12 who with the help of their parents and teachers can play and learn about the Mediterranean diet and the food products it includes.

· Design of a brochure for children, featuring the decalogue (ten principles) of the Mediterranean diet. Its objective is to spread the main points and conclusions of one of the scientific conferences and to make them accessible to children.

· The campaign “Eat well, eat healthy” in collaboration with the Eroski Foundation. This initiative includes research reports on different topics such as child nutrition, adult nutrition, eating out, etc.

In conclusion
The Mediterranean Diet represents a way of life, and a part of the cultural heritage of countries in the Mediterranean region. In the last decades the deep sociocultural changes that have taken place in the Mediterranean populations have led to modified eating habits which has had significant negative impact on health (cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, etc.). It is, therefore, essential to develop collaborative activities that would ensure the survival of the Mediterranean diet, and thus prevent disease and promote public health, especially the health of children.

Furthermore, the promotion of the Mediterranean Diet has a direct and positive influence on Spanish and Mediterranean agricultural production, as it stimulates the consumption of these products not only in the Spanish market, but outside as well, by promoting their export.

The Foundation was created with the goal of becoming an organization recognized for its work in reversing the current declining health trends among the people of the Mediterranean countries. It works to facilitate consensus among scientists so that recommendations can be made for different stake-holder groups, such as parents, educators, health, nutrition and food service professionals in the most effective way possible. It is only through joint and coordinated work that we can ensure that our millenum-old healthful lifestyle continues in the future.