To assess current Mediterranean dietary patterns (MDP) in the western and eastern Mediterranean, i.e. in Balearic islanders (BI) and Greek islanders (GI).

Dietary patterns were assessed using FFQ on a representative sample (n 1200) of the BI and GI (n 1324) adult population. A Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) was calculated according to the consumption of nine MDP components: (i) with a beneficial effect on health, i.e. vegetables, fruits and nuts, cereals, legumes, fish and shellfish, MUFA:SFA ratio, and moderate alcohol consumption; and (ii) with a detrimental effect on health, i.e. meat and meat products, and milk and dairy products. Persons with consumption of beneficial components below the median (GI plus BI) received a value of 0 and those with consumption above the median a value of 1. Persons with below-median consumption of detrimental components received a value of 1 and above-median consumption a value of 0. For alcohol, a value of 1 was given to consumptions of 10–50 g/d (men) and 5–25 g/d (women). The range of the MDS was 0–9, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the MDP.

GI showed higher adherence (mean MDS 5·12 (sd 1·42)) to the MDP than BI (mean MDS 3·32 (sd 1·23)). BI diet was characterized by a high intake of legumes, nuts, seed oils, sugar and confectionery, and non-alcoholic beverages compared with GI, whereas GI diet was richer in fruit, vegetables, potatoes, olive oil, animal products and alcoholic beverages.

The GI diet seems closer to the traditional MDP than the BI diet.