Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of promoting the Mediterranean diet to people at risk of heart disease.

There is no clear definition of a Mediterranean diet. However, patterns of intake consistent with descriptions of this in the literature involve high intakes of vegetables, fruit, legumes, cereals, fish, a high ratio of mono- to saturated fatty acid intake, a low intake of dairy products and meat.

In 2019, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition carried out an evidence review on saturated fats and health which concluded that higher intakes of saturated fats were associated with an increased risk of heart disease, and therefore saturated fats in the diet should be swapped for unsaturated fats. This advice is in line with Mediterranean-style dietary patterns.

In the United Kingdom, the Eatwell Guide is used to define government recommendations on eating healthily and achieving a balanced diet. The Eatwell Guide is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide

The dietary recommendations of the Eatwell Guide broadly align with the Mediterranean dietary pattern.