Aging and the Mediterranean Diet in Italy

The Mediterranean diet is consistently ranked as one of the healthiest eating patterns. In addition, certain locations in Italy are recognized as ‘blue zones’ where there are a much higher proportion of centenarians than typically found throughout the world. This program will give you many experiences to help you understand how both the dietary patterns, cuisine, culture and lifestyle of Southern Italy contributes to increased health and longevity. The overall purpose of this study abroad program is to understand by experience how the lifestyle, nutrition, cuisine, food environments, and cultures in Southern Italy impact health and longevity. We will compare patterns found in both urban and rural settings, including a week on the island of Sardinia. Other locations that we will experience include Rome, the beautiful Amalfi Coast region (Maiori, Amalfi, Salerno), Matera where students will experience the ‘negative architecture’ where homes and buildings are excavated out of the mountain, rather than constructed. This program also includes cultural and culinary experiences in collaboration with the Mediterranean Diet Foundation in the Puglia region. Other locations include Pompeii, Cilento, Sorrento, Pioppi, Acciarola, with many unique hands-on culinary experiences to better understand the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. This program includes local church attendance in Salerno and Cagliari (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

This unique program includes a combination of: 1) physical activities (hiking, walking, kayaking), 2) discussions of nutrition and human health (e.g., Mediterranean lifestyle, physical activity biology, “Blue Zones,” social interactions and health, human research studies in activity and nutrition, society and food, macro- and micronutrient properties of Mediterranean foods, chronic disease, etc.), 3) local cuisine, 4) visits to food production sites, and 5) guided and self-guided tours focusing on the culture and history of Italy (e.g., ceramic art in the Amalfi Coast, cave-dwelling people of Matera, etc.). More specifically, this program includes visits to a lemon grove, dairy farm, bakery, olive farm, guided tours of museums (e.g., Museum of the Mediterranean Diet). IMPORTANT: Please note that this program is fast paced with significant physical activity. All majors may apply.

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