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Ramón Estruch, M.D., Ph.D., Emilio Ros, M.D., Ph.D., Jordi Salas-Salvadó, M.D., Ph.D., Maria-Isabel Covas, D.Pharm., Ph.D., Dolores Corella, D.Pharm., Ph.D., Fernando Arós, M.D., Ph.D., Enrique Gómez-Gracia, M.D., Ph.D., Valentina Ruiz-Gutiérrez, Ph.D., Miquel Fiol, M.D., Ph.D., José Lapetra, M.D., Ph.D., Rosa Maria Lamuela-Raventos, D.Pharm., Ph.D., Lluís Serra-Majem, M.D., Ph.D., Xavier Pintó, M.D., Ph.D., Josep Basora, M.D., Ph.D., Miguel Angel Muñoz, M.D., Ph.D., José V. Sorlí, M.D., Ph.D., José Alfredo Martínez, D.Pharm, M.D., Ph.D., and Miguel Angel Martínez-González, M.D., Ph.D. for the PREDIMED Study Investigators

February 25, 2013DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1200303

Background   Observational cohort studies and a secondary prevention trial have shown an inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular risk. We conducted a randomized trial of this diet pattern for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events.   Full Text of Background…

Methods   In a multicenter trial in Spain, we randomly assigned participants who were at high cardiovascular risk, but with no cardiovascular disease at enrollment, to one of three diets: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or a control diet (advice to reduce dietary fat). Participants received quarterly individual and group educational sessions and, depending on group assignment, free provision of extra-virgin olive oil, mixed nuts, or small nonfood gifts. The primary end point was the rate of major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes). On the basis of the results of an interim analysis, the trial was stopped after a median follow-up of 4.8 years.   Full Text of Methods…

Results   A total of 7447 persons were enrolled (age range, 55 to 80 years); 57% were women. The two Mediterranean-diet groups had good adherence to the intervention, according to self-reported intake and biomarker analyses. A primary end-point event occurred in 288 participants. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios were 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54 to 0.92) and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.96) for the group assigned to a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil (96 events) and the group assigned to a Mediterranean diet with nuts (83 events), respectively, versus the control group (109 events). No diet-related adverse effects were reported.   Full Text of Results…

Conclusions   Among persons at high cardiovascular risk, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events. (Funded by the Spanish government’s Instituto de Salud Carlos III and others; Controlled-Trials.com number, ISRCTN35739639.)

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Pioneer Health Group, under which MidAtlantic Corporate Health and MountainWest Corporate Health operate, is rebranding all of its operations as Elevation Corporate Health.

The new brand will encompass the companies’ combined fitness, health, wellness and technology operations. The new branding, coupled with a new website and new logo, took effect Jan. 1, 2013.

“As the needs and locations of our corporate clients have grown, we have continued to expand our operations, adding new and evolving wellness options and technology advances to better serve our clients,” said Tom Kapp, a co-founder of the companies. “This new name reflects not only who we are, but how we plan to elevate the health and wellness of employees for each of our clients across the country.”

Kapp and Sandy Meagher, a co-founder and chief operating officer, formed MidAtlantic Corporate Health to serve the mid-Atlantic region in 1994. Four years later, after the company’s growth into the Western United States, MountainWest Corporate Health was launched. The companies have helped hundreds of companies and organizations – from nonprofits, for-profits, educational institutions and government entities, to multi-use tenant arrangements and resorts/spas – to elevate their employees’ health and wellness and to improve their return on investment in these efforts.

Since 1994 MidAtlantic and MountainWest Corporate Health have provided companies with onsite fitness center consulting, design and management services.  Now the focus also includes wellness, coaching, and technology solutions to engage employees anywhere, anyplace,anytime, both domestically and abroad. Elevation leverages technology with customized wellness website and portals, which reach all employees regardless of their remote locations. Elevation Corporate Health provides a full suite of comprehensive programs, including onsite fitness center management, employee wellness and coaching programs, behavior modification and disease management programs and technology solutions that can accommodate companies of all sizes or demographics.

Elevation Corporate Health’s new brand is designed to better reflect this full menu of offerings.

“With this new name and new brand, we showcase more clearly and consistently how we can help companies of all sizes use health and wellness to reduce their costs,” added Angela Nichols, a senior vice president for the newly rebranded company.

To learn more about Elevation Corporate Health, visit the company website or call 800-931-3122.

View press release.

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The 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet suggests that the cost includes $116 billion in excess medical expenditures attributed to diabetes, as well as $58 billion in reduced national productivity.

An estimated $1 in $10 health care dollars is attributed to diabetes. Indirect costs include increased factors such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, and lost productive capacity due to early mortality, according to the analysis.

People with diagnosed diabetes, on average, spend 2.3 more on medical expenses from their diabetes. An estimated 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population—are diabetic.

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Those companies include Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Schneider National, Kohler Co., Kimberly-Clark and Trek Bicycle, according to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

View the full article.

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