研究发现 地中海饮食或仅对富人有效

The Mediterranean diet is well known for its heart-healthy effects. It even sounds healthful: lots of fruits and veggies, whole grain and legumes. Plus olive oil, a bit of red wine. And fish and poultry instead of red meat.

地中海式饮食因有益于心脏健康而闻名。这种饮食听上去就很健康：大量水果和蔬菜，全谷物和豆类食物。再加上橄榄油和一点儿红酒。以及鱼肉和家禽肉，而不是红肉。

Now a study from Italy confirms that, if you follow the diet, you really can cut your risk of cardiovascular disease. But here's the catch: the benefits seem to only occur if you're financially comfortable or well educated.

现在，意大利的一项研究证实，如果你遵循这种食谱，你患心血管疾病的风险的确会降低。但需要注意的是：似乎只有你经济富裕或受过良好教育，这种好处才会体现出来。

The finding is in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

这项研究结果发表在《国际流行病学杂志》上。

Researchers tracked 19,000 men and women living in southern Italy during a four-year interval.

研究人员对居住在意大利南部的1.9万名男女进行了为期四年的跟踪调查。

After controlling for habits like smoking and exercise, the team found that volunteers who stuck more closely to the diet enjoyed greater protection against heart problems -- but only if they were college-educated, or earned more than 40,000 euros a year, or about $47,000.

在有效控制吸烟和锻炼等爱好的情况下，研究小组发现，那些严格遵循地中海饮食的志愿者在对抗心脏疾病时享有更强的保护，但前提是他们接受过大学教育或年收入超过4万欧元（约合4.7万美元）。

The scientists think that higher-income, educated individuals tend to prepare vegetables in healthier ways -- perhaps preserving more vitamins and antioxidants.

科学家认为，收入高、受过良好教育的人倾向于以更健康的方式烹调蔬菜，也许这种方式保留了更多的维生素和抗氧化剂。

They also favored fish and whole grain bread, and ate more organic vegetables. And perhaps they're simply able to afford higher quality foods. Better olive oil, for example.

他们也喜欢鱼肉和全麦面包，也会多吃有机蔬菜。也许他们只是有能力买得起更高质量的食物。比如，更优质的橄榄油。

"You can buy the two-to three-euro bottle or you can have a 10-euro bottle." study author Marialaura Bonaccio, an epidemiologist. "Probably these two products Probably these two bottles are different in their nutritional contents -- in the context for example of polyphenols or other nutritional compounds."

该研究的作者、流行病学家玛丽亚劳拉·伯纳西奥说道：“你可以买两三欧元一瓶的橄榄油，也可以买10欧元一瓶的橄榄油。可能这两种产品在营养成分上--比如多酚或其它营养化合物，会有所不同。”

Seems that the Mediterranean diet includes few foods that we consider rich. But to get the full benefits, it sure helps if you are.

看起来地中海饮食很少有我们认为油腻的食物。不过如果你很富有，那它会帮助你得到全部益处。