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Traditional Latin American Diet Linked with Lower Blood Pressure

As people abandon their traditional diets for a Western diet of fast food and sugary treats, nutrition is often compromised. In this study, researchers analyzed the diets and blood pressure readings of 4,626 people living in the Southern Cone of Latin America (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay). Two common dietary patterns emerged: a traditional diet based on fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, seafood, and nuts; and a Western diet based on red and processed meat, dressings, sweets, snacks, and refined grains. Those most closely following a traditional Latin American diet were significantly more likely to have lower blood pressure than those following a Western diet.
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases. 2021 Oct 7;S0939-4753(21)00437-3. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2021.08.048. (Defagó M D et al.)

Healthy Diet with Sardines Improves Blood Pressure, Weight, Blood Sugar Management

One of the most striking differences between Mediterranean seafood dishes and American seafood dishes is the Mediterranean’s creative use of little fish, like sardines. Researchers randomly assigned 152 older adults (average age: 71) with prediabetes to either a control group with diabetes prevention nutrition advice or an intervention group receiving 7 ounces of sardines per week in addition to diabetes prevention nutrition advice for one year. At the end of the year, both groups lost weight and reduced their waist and hip sizes. Those in the sardine group also improved their blood pressure, blood lipids (such as HDL cholesterol), and insulin resistance (a sign of better blood sugar management). However, there was no significant difference in type 2 diabetes risk between the two groups.
Clinical Nutrition. 2021 May;40(5):2587-2598. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.014. (Díaz-Rizzolo DA et al.)

Seafood and Mediterranean Diet Linked with Better Brain Health in Aging

To see how the Mediterranean diet relates to brain health, researchers analyzed the diets and health of 7,756 older adults. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet had a significantly lower risk of cognitive impairment but did not have a significantly slower decline in cognitive function. However, those eating the most fish had both a significantly lower risk of cognitive impairment and a significantly slower decline in cognitive function.
Alzheimers Dement. 2020 Jun;16(6):831-842. doi: 10.1002/alz.12077. Epub 2020 Apr 13. (Keenan TD et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Healthier Vitamin D Levels

A traditional Mediterranean diet includes frequent seafood and frequent but small portions of dairy foods, leaving some to wonder how a Mediterranean diet relates to markers of bone health. In this study, researchers analyzed the diets and vitamin D levels (using 25(OH)D blood levels) of 284 overweight and obese adults in Italy. Vitamin D levels in the blood are important to study, as they can indicate whether someone’s bones are strong or at risk of osteoporosis. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were significantly more likely to have higher vitamin D levels, as well as to have healthier BMI, waist size, insulin levels, and triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood). Seafood, which is abundant in the Mediterranean diet, is an important source of vitamin D, and the authors suggest that vitamin D may partially explain the Mediterranean diet’s protective effect on osteoporosis.
Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2020 Mar 29;1-7. doi: 10.1080/09637486.2020.1744533. Online ahead of print. (Zupo R et al.)

Improving Diet Could Save $301 per Person per Year in Healthcare Costs

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is known to help prevent numerous chronic diseases, so it’s no surprise that eating healthier can reduce healthcare costs, too. In this study, researchers analyzed U.S. eating habits against dietary recommendations, and then calculated the cardiometabolic disease burden (heart diseases, stroke, type 2 diabetes) attributable to not meeting specific dietary guidelines. From there, they were able to calculate the costs associated with not meeting specific dietary recommendations. They found that diet-related healthcare costs were $301 per person annually (or $50.4 billion total) for cardiometabolic diseases alone. Specifically, the per-person annual cardiometabolic cost of not eating enough nuts & seeds was $81, seafood omega-3 fats was $76, vegetables and legumes was $60, fruits was $57, and whole grains was $45.
PLoS Medicine. 2019 Dec 17;16(12):e1002981. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002981. eCollection 2019 Dec. (Jardim TV et al.)

Seafood During Pregnancy Linked with Improved Brain Development in Children

Seafood is well-recognized for its brain health benefits, but researchers wonder if these benefits outweigh the risks of mercury exposure. In this study, scientists analyzed 44 papers on 102,944 mother-child pairs and 25,031 children. They found consistent evidence of brain health benefits for children when mothers ate seafood while pregnant, and that benefits began even at the lowest amounts of seafood (about 4 oz /week). No negative impacts on neurocognitive development were noted even at the highest levels of seafood consumption (more than 12 ounces per week).
Prostaglandins Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids. 2019 Oct 11;151:14-36. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2019.10.002. (Hibbeln CJR et al.)

Eating Omega-3 Fatty Acids While Pregnant May Reduce Pre-Term Births

Not many women eat fish frequently during pregnancy, but perhaps they should. In a rigorous Cochrane review of 70 randomized controlled trials (involving 19,927 women), scientists found that getting more omega-3 fatty acids (from food, like seafood, or supplements) may reduce the incidence of pre-term birth and low birthweight in babies.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 15;11:CD003402. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003402.pub3. (Middleton P et al.)

Seafood Intake in Mothers and Fathers Linked with Shorter Time to Pregnancy

For couples trying to grow their family, a healthy diet with seafood may help tilt the odds in their favor. Researchers followed 501 couples planning to get pregnant for up to a year, tracking their eating habits and pregnancies. Couples in which both male and female partners ate at least 8 servings of seafood per month had a significantly shorter time to pregnancy than those consuming less. Even if just one partner ate seafood at least 8 times per month, there was still a significantly shorter time to pregnancy than if they ate it fewer than 2 times per month (with the relationship being slightly stronger in women than in men). Couples eating the most seafood (at least 8 times per month) also tended to have sexual intercourse 22% more frequently than those eating less.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018 May 23. (Gaskins AJ et al.) [Epub ahead of print.]

Traditional Mediterranean and Japanese Diets Linked with Lower Risk of Death from Heart Disease

At first glance, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines might seem worlds apart. However, the overall eating patterns share more similarities than one might think. Researchers analyzed the diets and long-term (50-year) data on death from heart disease in 12,763 men in the Seven Countries Study from the 1960s. The researchers noted a very similar eating pattern between the Mediterranean group and the Japanese group, with lots of seafood and vegetables, and low amounts of animal foods and animal fat. They also found that eating more vegetables and starch, and more closely following a “Mediterranean” diet (as the Mediterranean and Japanese groups did) were linked with significantly lower risks of death from heart disease. Sweets, animal foods, and hard fats (like butter or lard) were linked with increased risk.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018 May 17. (Kromhout D et al.) [Epub ahead of print.]

Traditional Japanese Diets as a Cultural Model of Healthy Eating

Japan is famous for the long lifespan of its people, and the traditional diet is thought to play a role. In this review, researchers outline the healthful elements of traditional Japanese diets, including the variety of seasonal vegetables and seafood, umami flavors, cooking methods that incorporate water, modest portion sizes, and social and familial connections. They conclude that “Japanese traditional diet practices (Washoku), which prominently include the flavoring of foods with umami taste, can be characterized as a healthy diet in the same way that the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet is so classified.”
Nutrients. 2018 Feb 3;10(2). pii: E173. (Gabriel AS et al.)

Eating Seafood Linked with Better Sleep Quality and Verbal IQ in Children

Researchers analyzed the eating patterns, IQ tests, and sleep patterns (based on parents’ report) of 541 12-year-old children in China. Those eating fish at least 2-4 times per month were significantly less likely to have sleep problems, and also had significantly better verbal IQ scores than children who ate fish less frequently. The researchers also found a dose-response relationship, meaning that the more often children ate fish, the better their IQ score. Their results indicate that better sleep quality may partially help explain the relationship between fish and brain function.
Scientific Reports. 2017 Dec 21;7(1):17961. (Liu J et al.)

Eating Fish Daily Linked with Lower Risk of Depression

Seafood has long been linked with better brain health, but researchers wonder if these associations stand up even in high fish-eating populations, such as Japan. In a study of 1,181 older Japanese adults (ages 63-82), people eating the most fish (4 ounces per day) were significantly less likely to develop depression 25 years later than those eating less fish. Researchers also found that eating the most DPA (docosapentaenoic acid, a type of fatty acid found in fish) was also linked with a significantly lower risk of depression.
Translational Psychiatry. 2017 September 26. 7:e1242. [Epub ahead of print.] (Matsuoka YJ et al.)

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