Boost Your Health and Live Longer: Exploring the Benefits of the Southern European Atlantic Diet

This study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, examined the link between the Southern European Atlantic Diet (SEAD) and mortality rates across Europe. While previous research hinted at benefits for older adults, its broader applicability was unknown. Analyzing data from over 35,000 individuals, the study found that higher SEAD adherence, characterized by high fish, vegetable, and moderate wine intake, was associated with lower mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This association is held across diverse European countries, suggesting the SEAD's potential extends beyond its origin. These findings highlight the SEAD's potential for improved health outcomes.

Key Points:

The SEAD is characterized by:

• High intake of fish, red meat, pork, dairy, legumes, vegetables, potatoes, whole grains, and moderate wine consumption.

• Lower consumption of olive oil, fresh fruits, and nuts compared to modern dietary patterns.

• Previous research linked SEAD to a lower risk of heart attack and death in older adults, but its wider applicability was unknown.

• This study analyzed data from over 35,000 individuals aged 18–96 from Spain, Czechia, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Findings revealed:

• Higher adherence to SEAD was associated with lower mortality rates from all causes, including cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

• These benefits were consistent across all participating countries, suggesting the SEAD's potential extends beyond its origin.

• The observed reductions in mortality were comparable to those associated with other established healthy dietary patterns.

Implications:

• The SEAD, despite containing some food groups traditionally considered less healthy (red meat, potatoes), may offer significant health advantages.

• This study suggests that diverse dietary patterns can share similar positive health outcomes.

• Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind SEAD's benefits and refine dietary recommendations for broader public health applications.

Limitations:

• The study is observational, and causal relationships cannot be definitively established.

• More research is needed to understand the long-term effects of SEAD on various health outcomes.

This blog post explores the findings of a recent study investigating the Southern European Atlantic Diet (SEAD) and its impact on mortality rates across various European populations.

What is the SEAD?

Traditionally consumed in northwestern Spain and Portugal, the SEAD is characterized by:

• High intake of fish (especially cod), red meat, pork, dairy, legumes, vegetables, potatoes, whole grains, and moderate wine consumption.

• Lower consumption of olive oil, fresh fruits, and nuts compared to modern dietary patterns.

Previous research suggested a link between SEAD and a lower risk of heart attack and death in older adults, but its applicability to broader populations remained unclear.

This new study:

• analyzed data from over 35,000 individuals aged 18–96 from Spain, Czechia, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

• A scoring system (developed by Oliveira et al.) was used to assess adherence to the SEAD, considering nine key food groups:

  • Fresh fish (excluding cod)

  • Cod

  • Red meat and pork products

  • Dairy

  • Legumes and vegetables (excluding those in soup)

  • Vegetable soup

  • Potatoes

  • Whole-grain bread

  • Wine (moderate consumption)

• Each food group received points based on weekly/daily consumption frequency, with higher scores indicating greater adherence.

• The total SEAD score ranged from 8 to 25, with higher values reflecting better adherence.

• It was found that higher adherence to SEAD was associated with lower mortality rates from all causes, including cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

• Importantly, these benefits were consistent across all participating countries, suggesting the SEAD's potential extends beyond its origin.

Comparing the SEAD with other established healthy diets:

• The study revealed that the SEAD's associations with mortality were comparable to those of the AHEI and DASH diets, both recognized for their health benefits.

Potential mechanisms behind the SEAD's benefits:

• While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, the study suggests that various SEAD components, like fish, legumes, and vegetables, might contribute to positive health outcomes.

Is there room for optimization?

• The study acknowledges that some SEAD food groups, like red meat and potatoes, have been linked to potential health concerns in previous research.

• Additionally, the inclusion of moderate wine consumption in the SEAD scoring system raises questions due to ongoing debates about its impact on mortality.

Generalizability and limitations:

• The study's findings are promising, but their generalizability to other populations needs further exploration.

• While the study included diverse participants, limitations like potential response bias and a lack of ethnicity data necessitate cautious interpretation.

Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the SEAD's potential health benefits for various European populations. However, further research is needed to refine the SEAD for optimal health impact and ensure its wider applicability across diverse populations.

Key takeaways:

• The SEAD is associated with lower mortality rates from various causes.

• These benefits seem consistent across different European countries.

• The SEAD's effects are comparable to established healthy dietary patterns.

• Certain SEAD components and the inclusion of wine require further investigation for optimal health recommendations.

• More research is needed for the broader generalizability of the findings.

Journal Reference

Adrián Carballo-Casla, Denes Stefler, Rosario Ortolá, Yuntao Chen, Anika Knuppel, Ruzena Kubinova, Andrzej Pajak, Fernando Rodríguez-Artalejo, Eric J Brunner, Martin Bobak, The Southern European Atlantic diet and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a European multicohort study, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Volume 31, Issue 3, February 2024, Pages 358–367, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwad370

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