Diversity is answer to 'French paradox.' (survey shows that the French have a diverse diet that includes all the food groups, which probably counters the effects of a high fat intake) (Brief Article)

Why do the French. who turn up their noses at low-fat diets. have lower than expected rates of heart disease than Americans? The key to what nutritionists call the "French Paradox," may lie in the widespread diversity of the French diet, according to a study from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the Institut Scientifique et Technique de l'Alimentation in Paris.

A survey of 837 French adults (361 men and 476 women) in the Val-de-Marne department southeast of Paris recorded typical daily food intakes representative of a habitual diet over a period of at least six months. "In general, the French ate more saturated fat than is recommended in U.S. guidelines. However, nearly 90% also reported eating a highly varied diet that consistently incorporated all of the five food groups - meats and fish, grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products," notes Adam Drewnowski. director of the University of Michigan's Human Nutrition Program and principal investigator on the study. Few American surveys of diet intake patterns have focused on dietary variety. but the available data based on a single 24-hour recall found that just 33% of Americans consumed food from all five main food groups on any given day.

The French survey identified 73 separate foods and food groups: 10 kinds of meats and fish; 15 milk and cheese products; six fats and oil products; 10...