OLIVE OILS AND HEALTH 100 7.1. Introduction Olive oil consumption, within the frame of the Mediterranean diet, has shown a beneficial effect on reducing death in adults and cardiovascular events in adults at high-cardiovascular risk as demonstrated by Estruch et al., in the PREvention and MEDiterranean diet study (PREDIMED). In the PREDIMED, the Mediterranean diet was supplemented with extra virgin olive oil and nuts. Benefits on inflammation and endothelial function are the main mechanisms to explain the healthy effect of olive oil, and particularly that of extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil is an essential component of the traditional Mediterranean diet, a dietary pattern with proven protective effects on death for all causes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer. The Mediterranean diet, with a low inflammatory index, is rich in vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and low mercury-content fish, among other components. Soltani et al., (2019) analysed the results of 29 prospective studies assessing the diet of 1676901 individuals from several continents. Findings showed a reduction up to 10% by every 2-point increment in adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet measured by a 0-9 point scale. In dietary guidelines collected by the “Food and Agriculture Organization” (FAO) from the “United Nations”, the traditional Mediterranean diet is increasingly recognised and recommended as a good pattern for better health and longevity. In some guidelines, such as those from the United States, a replacement of foods rich in harmful fats, for example saturated and hydrogenated ones, with food rich in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, such as olive oil and nuts, is advised. Nevertheless, few studies have assessed the effect of olive oil, as an individual food, on some crucial life stages such as pregnancy, lactation, childhood, and adolescence. At these milestones, key changes occur, and eating habits are established which will influence health in adult life. In pregnancy, risk situations such as maternal obesity, low birth weight, early delivery, and gestational diabetes can seriously affect both mother and child. Health problems may appear during childhood and adolescence, for example, allergies, asthma, neurodevelopmental disorders, and obesity. The latter representing a worldwide pandemic. In this chapter, the limited evidence available regarding the benefits of olive oil on health in the above-mentioned stages will be revised together with some proposals for increasing knowledge in this field.
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