Appendix 1. Search strategies

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), DARE, HTA, NHS EED (The Cochrane Library) to September 2012

#1 MeSH descriptor: [Fruit] explode all trees
#2 fruit*
#3 MeSH descriptor: [Vegetables] explode all trees
#4 MeSH descriptor: [Vegetable Proteins] this term only
#5 vegetable*
#6 MeSH descriptor: [Fabaceae] explode all trees
#7 fabaceae
#8 bean*
#9 legume*
#10 MeSH descriptor: [Lycopersicon esculentum] this term only
#11 lycopersicon next esculent*
#12 tomato*
#13 solanum next lycopersicum
#14 MeSH descriptor: [Nuts] this term only
#15 nut or nuts
#16 MeSH descriptor: [Bread] this term only
#17 bread*
#18 MeSH descriptor: [Cereals] explode all trees
#19 cereal*
#20 grain*
#21 MeSH descriptor: [Solanum tuberosum] this term only
#22 solanum next tuberosum
#23 potato*
#24 MeSH descriptor: [Seeds] this term only
#25 seed or seeds
#26 olive next oil
#27 MeSH descriptor: [Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated] this term only
#28 monounsaturated next fat*
#29 mono‐unsaturated next fat*
#30 MeSH descriptor: [Seafood] explode all trees
#31 MeSH descriptor: [Fish Oils] explode all trees
#32 fish
#33 seafood*
#34 shellfish
#35 #1 or #2 or #3 or #4 or #5 or #6 or #7 or #8 or #9 or #10
#36 #11 or #12 or #13 or #14 or #15 or #16 or #17 or #18 or #19 or #20
#37 #21 or #22 or #23 or #24 or #25 or #26 or #27 or #28 or #29 or #30
#38 #31 or #32 or #33 or #34
#39 #35 or #36 or #37 or #38
#40 (high or more or increase* or elevat* or much or rais*) near/6 (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*)
#41 #39 and #40
#42 MeSH descriptor: [Dairy Products] explode all trees
#43 MeSH descriptor: [Milk Proteins] explode all trees
#44 milk*
#45 marg?rine*
#46 butter*
#47 dairy
#48 cheese*
#49 red next meat*
#50 processed next meat*
#51 yog?urt*
#52 red near/4 wine*
#53 #42 or #43 or #44 or #45 or #46 or #47 or #48 or #49 or #50 or #51 or #52
#54 (low or little or medium or moderate or less or decrease* or reduc* or restrict*) near/6 (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*)
#55 #53 and #54
#56 MeSH descriptor: [Diet, Mediterranean] this term only
#57 mediterranean near/3 diet*
#58 mediterranean near/6 food*
#59 mediterranean near/6 nutrition*
#60 mediterranean near/6 eat*
#61 (diet* or food* or nutrit* or eat*) near/2 (pattern* or habit*)
#62 MeSH descriptor: [Food Habits] this term only
#63 #56 or #57 or #58 or #59 or #60 or #61 or #62
#64 #41 or #55 or #63
#65 MeSH descriptor: [Cardiovascular Diseases] explode all trees
#66 cardio*
#67 cardia*
#68 heart*
#69 coronary*
#70 angina*
#71 ventric*
#72 myocard*
#73 pericard*
#74 isch?em*
#75 MeSH descriptor: [Stroke] explode all trees
#76 stroke or stokes
#77 cerebrovasc*
#78 apoplexy
#79 brain near/2 accident*
#80 (brain* or cerebral or lacunar) near/2 infarct*
#81 MeSH descriptor: [Hypertension] explode all trees
#82 hypertensi*
#83 peripheral next arter* next disease*
#84 (high or increased or elevated) near/2 (blood next pressure)
#85 MeSH descriptor: [Hyperlipidemias] explode all trees
#86 hyperlipid*
#87 hyperlip?emia*
#88 hypercholesterol*
#89 hypercholester?emia*
#90 hyperlipoprotein?emia*
#91 hypertriglycerid?emia*
#92 emboli*
#93 arrhythmi*
#94 thrombo*
#95 atrial next fibrillat*
#96 tachycardi*
#97 endocardi*
#98 sick next sinus
#99 MeSH descriptor: [Diabetes Mellitus] explode all trees
#100 diabet*
#101 MeSH descriptor: [Hyperglycemia] explode all trees
#102 hyperglycemi*
#103 glucose near/2 intoleran*
#104 MeSH descriptor: [Insulin Resistance] explode all trees
#105 metabolic near/3 syndrome near/3 x
#106 metabolic next cardiovascular next syndrome
#107 dysmetabolic next syndrome next x
#108 insulin next resistan*
#109 MeSH descriptor: [Arteriosclerosis] explode all trees
#110 MeSH descriptor: [Cholesterol] explode all trees
#111 cholesterol
#112 "coronary risk factor*"
#113 MeSH descriptor: [Blood Pressure] this term only
#114 "blood pressure"
#115 #65 or #66 or #67 or #68 or #69 or #70 or #71 or #72 or #73 or #74
#116 #75 or #76 or #77 or #78 or #79 or #80 or #81 or #82 or #83 or #84
#117 #85 or #86 or #87 or #88 or #89 or #90 or #91 or #92 or #93 or #94
#118 #95 or #96 or #97 or #98 or #99 or #100
#119 #101 or #102 or #103 or #104 or #105 or #106 or #107 or #108 or #109 or #110 or #111 or #112 or #113 or #114
#120 #115 or #116 or #117 or #118 or #119
#121 #64 and #120

MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to October week 1 2012)

The Cochrane sensitive maximising RCT filter has been applied to the search (Lefebvre C, Manheimer E, Glanville J. Chapter 6: Searching for studies. In: Higgins JPT, Green S (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 (updated March 2011). The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available from www.cochrane‐handbook.org).

1. exp Fruit/
2. fruit*.tw.
3. exp Vegetables/
4. Vegetable Proteins/
5. vegetable*.tw.
6. exp Fabaceae/
7. fabaceae.tw.
8. bean*.tw.
9. legume*.tw.
10. Lycopersicon esculentum/
11. lycopersicon esculent*.tw.
12. tomato*.tw.
13. solanum lycopersicum.tw.
14. Nuts/
15. (nut or nuts).tw.
16. Bread/
17. bread*.tw.
18. exp Cereals/
19. cereal*.tw.
20. grain*.tw.
21. Solanum tuberosum/
22. solanum tuberosum.tw.
23. potato*.tw.
24. Seeds/
25. (seed or seeds).tw.
26. olive oil.tw.
27. Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated/
28. monounsaturated fat*.tw.
29. mono‐unsaturated fat*.tw.
30. exp Seafood/
31. exp Fish Oils/
32. fish.tw.
33. seafood*.tw.
34. shellfish.tw.
35. or/1‐34
36. ((high or more or increase* or elevat* or much or rais*) adj6 (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*)).tw.
37. 35 and 36
38. exp Dairy Products/
39. exp Milk Proteins/
40. milk*.tw.
41. marg?rine*.tw.
42. butter*.tw.
43. dairy.tw.
44. cheese*.tw.
45. red meat*.tw.
46. processed meat*.tw.
47. yog?urt*.tw.
48. red wine*.tw.
49. or/38‐48
50. ((low or little or medium or moderate or less or decrease* or reduc* or restrict*) adj6 (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*)).tw.
51. 49 and 50
52. Diet, Mediterranean/
53. (mediterranean adj3 diet*).tw.
54. (mediterranean adj6 food*).tw.
55. (mediterranean adj6 nutrition*).tw.
56. (mediterranean adj6 eat*).tw.
57. ((diet* or food* or nutrit* or eat*) adj2 (pattern* or habit*)).tw.
58. Food Habits/
59. or/52‐58
60. 37 or 51 or 59
61. exp Cardiovascular Diseases/
62. cardio*.tw.
63. cardia*.tw.
64. heart*.tw.
65. coronary*.tw.
66. angina*.tw.
67. ventric*.tw.
68. myocard*.tw.
69. pericard*.tw.
70. isch?em*.tw.
71. exp Stroke/
72. (stroke or stokes).tw.
73. cerebrovasc*.tw.
74. apoplexy.tw.
75. (brain adj2 accident*).tw.
76. ((brain* or cerebral or lacunar) adj2 infarct*).tw.
77. exp Hypertension/
78. hypertensi*.tw.
79. peripheral arter* disease*.tw.
80. ((high or increased or elevated) adj2 blood pressure).tw.
81. exp Hyperlipidemias/
82. hyperlipid*.tw.
83. hyperlip?emia*.tw.
84. hypercholesterol*.tw.
85. hypercholester?emia*.tw.
86. hyperlipoprotein?emia*.tw.
87. hypertriglycerid?emia*.tw.
88. isch?emi*.tw.
89. emboli*.tw.
90. arrhythmi*.tw.
91. thrombo*.tw.
92. atrial fibrillat*.tw.
93. tachycardi*.tw.
94. endocardi*.tw.
95. (sick adj sinus).tw.
96. exp Diabetes Mellitus/
97. diabet*.tw.
98. exp Hyperglycemia/
99. hyperglycemi*.tw.
100. (glucose adj2 intoleran*).tw.
101. exp Insulin Resistance/
102. (metabolic adj3 syndrome adj3 x).tw.
103. metabolic cardiovascular syndrome.tw.
104. dysmetabolic syndrome x.tw.
105. insulin resistan*.tw.
106. exp Arteriosclerosis/
107. exp Cholesterol/
108. cholesterol.tw.
109. "coronary risk factor*".tw.
110. Blood Pressure/
111. blood pressure.tw.
112. or/61‐111
113. 60 and 112
114. randomized controlled trial.pt.
115. controlled clinical trial.pt.
116. randomized.ab.
117. placebo.ab.
118. clinical trials as topic.sh.
119. randomly.ab.
120. trial.ti.
121. 114 or 115 or 116 or 117 or 118 or 119 or 120
122. exp animals/ not humans.sh.
123. 121 not 122
124. 113 and 123

EMBASE Ovid (1980 to 2012 week 41)

1. exp fruit/
2. fruit*.tw.
3. exp vegetable/
4. exp vegetable protein/
5. vegetable*.tw.
6. fabaceae.tw.
7. bean*.tw.
8. legume*.tw.
9. lycopersicon esculent*.tw.
10. tomato*.tw.
11. solanum lycopersicum.tw.
12. exp nut/
13. (nut or nuts).tw.
14. bread*.tw.
15. cereal*.tw.
16. grain*.tw.
17. exp grain/
18. solanum tuberosum.tw.
19. potato*.tw.
20. exp plant seed/
21. (seed or seeds).tw.
22. olive oil/
23. olive oil.tw.
24. monounsaturated fatty acid/
25. monounsaturated fat*.tw.
26. mono‐unsaturated fat*.tw.
27. sea food/
28. fish oil/
29. fish meat/
30. fish.tw.
31. seafood*.tw.
32. sea food*.tw.
33. shellfish.tw.
34. or/1‐33
35. ((high or more or increase* or elevat* or much or rais*) adj6 (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*)).tw.
36. 34 and 35
37. exp dairy product/
38. milk*.tw.
39. marg?rine*.tw.
40. butter*.tw.
41. dairy.tw.
42. cheese*.tw.
43. red meat*.tw.
44. processed meat*.tw.
45. exp red meat/
46. yog?urt*.tw.
47. red wine*.tw.
48. or/37‐47
49. ((low or little or medium or moderate or less or decrease* or reduc* or restrict*) adj6 (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*)).tw.
50. 48 and 49
51. Mediterranean diet/
52. (mediterranean adj3 diet*).tw.
53. (mediterranean adj6 food*).tw.
54. (mediterranean adj6 nutrition*).tw.
55. (mediterranean adj6 eat*).tw.
56. ((diet* or food* or nutrit* or eat*) adj2 (pattern* or habit*)).tw.
57. eating habit/
58. or/51‐57
59. 36 or 50 or 58
60. exp cardiovascular disease/
61. cardio*.tw.
62. cardia*.tw.
63. heart*.tw.
64. coronary*.tw.
65. angina*.tw.
66. ventric*.tw.
67. myocard*.tw.
68. pericard*.tw.
69. isch?em*.tw.
70. exp cerebrovascular disease/
71. (stroke or stokes).tw.
72. cerebrovasc*.tw.
73. apoplexy.tw.
74. (brain adj2 accident*).tw.
75. ((brain* or cerebral or lacunar) adj2 infarct*).tw.
76. exp hypertension/
77. hypertensi*.tw.
78. peripheral arter* disease*.tw.
79. ((high or increased or elevated) adj2 blood pressure).tw.
80. exp hyperlipidemia/
81. hyperlipid*.tw.
82. hyperlip?emia*.tw.
83. hypercholesterol*.tw.
84. hypercholester?emia*.tw.
85. hyperlipoprotein?emia*.tw.
86. hypertriglycerid?emia*.tw.
87. emboli*.tw.
88. arrhythmi*.tw.
89. thrombo*.tw.
90. atrial fibrillat*.tw.
91. tachycardi*.tw.
92. endocardi*.tw.
93. (sick adj sinus).tw.
94. exp diabetes mellitus/
95. diabet*.tw.
96. diabet*.tw.
97. diabet*.tw.
98. hyperglycemia/
99. hyperglycemi*.tw.
100. (glucose adj2 intoleran*).tw.
101. insulin resistance/
102. (metabolic adj3 syndrome adj3 x).tw.
103. metabolic cardiovascular syndrome.tw.
104. dysmetabolic syndrome x.tw.
105. insulin resistan*.tw.
106. exp Arteriosclerosis/
107. exp Cholesterol/
108. cholesterol.tw.
109. "coronary risk factor*".tw.
110. Blood Pressure/
111. blood pressure.tw.
112. or/60‐111
113. random$.tw.
114. factorial$.tw.
115. crossover$.tw.
116. cross over$.tw.
117. cross‐over$.tw.
118. placebo$.tw.
119. (doubl$ adj blind$).tw.
120. (singl$ adj blind$).tw.
121. assign$.tw.
122. allocat$.tw.
123. volunteer$.tw.
124. crossover procedure/
125. double blind procedure/
126. randomized controlled trial/
127. single blind procedure/
128. 113 or 114 or 115 or 116 or 117 or 118 or 119 or 120 or 121 or 122 or 123 or 124 or 125 or 126 or 127
129. (animal/ or nonhuman/) not human/
130. 128 not 129
131. 59 and 112 and 130
132. limit 131 to embase

Web of Science (1970 to 16 October 2012)

#25 #24 AND #23
#24 TS=(random* or blind* or allocat* or assign* or trial* or placebo* or crossover* or cross‐over*)
#23 #22 AND #10
#22 #21 OR #18 OR #15
#21 #20 OR #19
#20 TS= ((diet* or food* or nutrit* or eat*) SAME (pattern* or habit*))
#19 TS=((mediterranean) SAME (diet* or food* or nutrition* or eat*))
#18 #17 AND #16
#17 TS=((low or little or medium or moderate or less or decrease* or reduc* or restrict*) SAME (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*))
#16 TS=(milk* or marg?rine* or butter* or dairy or cheese* or "red meat*" or "processed meat*" or "red wine*")
#15 #14 AND #13
#14 TS=((high or more or increase* or elevat* or much or rais*) SAME (intake or consumption or consume or eat* or amount*))
#13 #12 OR #11
#12 TS=("solamun tuberosum" or potato* or seed or seeds or "olive oil" or "monounsaturated fat*" or "mono‐unsaturated fat*" or fish or seafood* or shellfish)
#11 TS=(fruit* or vegetable* or fabaceae or bean* or legume* or "lycopersicon esculent*" or tomato* or "solanum lycopersicum" or nut or nuts or bread* or cereal* or grain*)
#10 #9 OR #8 OR #7 OR #6 OR #5 OR #4 OR #3 OR #2 OR #1
#9 TS=(arteriosclerosis or cholesterol or "coronary risk factor*" or "blood pressure")
#8 TS=diabet*
#7 TS=(hyperlipid* or hyperlip?emia* or hypercholesterol* or hypercholester?emia* or hyperlipoprotein?emia* or hypertriglycerid?emia*)
#6 TS=("high blood pressure")
#5 TS=(hypertensi* or "peripheral arter* disease*")
#4 TS=(stroke or strokes or cerebrovasc* or cerebral or apoplexy or (brain SAME accident*) or (brain SAME infarct*))
#3 TS=("artrial fibrillat*" or tachycardi* or endocardi*)
#2 TS=(pericard* or isch?em* or emboli* or arrhythmi* or thrombo*)
#1 TS=(cardio* or cardia* or heart* or coronary* or angina* or ventric* or myocard*)