| One of the biggest problems EU leaders have to | | | | ingredients for the aged part of the EU's |
| find ways to overcome is the fact that the "old" | | | | population to continue being healthy and thrive. |
| continent is in fact becoming old. As the European | | | | Furthermore, the low intake of dairy products and |
| birth rate has been dropping at a rapid rate over | | | | meat and the modest consumption of alcohol |
| the last couple of decades, the European | | | | have helped the elderly in countries like Spain and |
| continent will become soon a continent inhabited | | | | Greece to live longer and healthier lives and |
| by a increasing majority of seniors. Since this | | | | maintain their productivity levels high close to the |
| demographic trend develops, EU reforms and | | | | end of their lives. |
| retirement policies try to address the issue and | | | | As current evidence suggests, such a diet is |
| give Europe its chance to maintain its productivity | | | | beneficial to the health of all individuals regardless |
| levels high and its overall outcome on surplus. | | | | of their age group or residence location. Scientists, |
| Thus, contemporary ethnographic studies support | | | | after examining a variety of factors like diet, |
| that keeping Europeans health at high levels, | | | | lifestyle, medical history, physical activity levels, |
| especially for those over the age of sixty, is not | | | | and smoking have recognized the importance of |
| only a social policy act governments should focus | | | | the Mediterranean diet in keeping the body fit and |
| on providing, but also a wise economic policy that | | | | the mind working properly. In fact, a higher |
| will keep Europeans able to continue being | | | | dietary score was associated with a lower overall |
| productive members of society and thus, lowering | | | | death rate and evidence suggests that people |
| the negative outcomes of an alarming EU reality. | | | | who follow such a dietary plan are expected to |
| One method to keep older people healthier is to | | | | live longer and suffer less from illnesses. |
| focus on their dietary habits and introducing new | | | | What is alarming though is that the younger |
| nutritional practices that can increase life | | | | generation of Europe that has began following the |
| expectancy levels. According to researchers, one | | | | Western type of diet-larger portions, fewer |
| of the choices an aging person has to keep being | | | | meals, less vegetable and fruit intake-have |
| healthy and active is to follow the Mediterranean | | | | experienced problems associated with weight gain |
| diet. | | | | and are now battling against disfiguring their body |
| In fact, the Mediterranean diet is associated with | | | | types. Modern way of living, stress, less available |
| longer life expectancy among the elderly, because | | | | time to prepare a proper meal and other |
| it is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, | | | | problems, have led parents to neglect the nutrition |
| legumes, fruits, and cereals. Furthermore, one of | | | | of their children and has led them to fight |
| the basic nutritional elements shared across all | | | | problems such that of youth obesity and low |
| Mediterranean cultures is the high intake of fish | | | | self-esteem. Educating seniors should be a |
| and the low consumption levels of saturated fats. | | | | combined effort with educating youth as both age |
| On the other hand, olive oil, which belongs to the | | | | groups are considered currently to be the future |
| unsaturated fats category, helps the human | | | | of the "aging" European continent. |
| organism function and provides all the necessary | | | | |