SEAT, IrsiCaixa, Hospital Clínic, Harvard University and ITAE present their first joint scientific study

The SEAT Healthy Company Scientific Committee is presenting MedCARS, its first study on nutrition and healthy living. For the first time ever, four entities the likes of SEAT, IrsiCaixa, Barcelona’s Hospital Clínic, ITAE and scientists from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, have joined forces to conduct a scientific study. Leading European and world scientific and medical experts such as Dr. Patricia Such, Dr. Bonaventura Clotet, Dr. Ramon Estruch and Dr. Mercedes Sotos-Prieto have presented today in Barcelona the results of a retrospective study spanning the past 20 years with a universal sampling of 30,000 employees. On the basis of this retrospective study, the members of the SEAT Healthy Company Scientific Committee have also announced the implementation of what will be the first joint study on nutrition and healthy living.

According to SEAT Vice-president for Human Resources and President of the SEAT Healthy Company Scientific Committee Xavier Ros, “it is a true honour for SEAT to lead this project. We are fully committed to the health of our employees and in recent years we have made significant advances, such as the construction of CARS or the creation of the Scientific Committee”. In addition, Ros acknowledged “the global experts for accompanying us in this endeavour.”

Pioneering retrospective study in Spain

The SEAT medical services have the medical background of the company’s employees going back 20 years. This sample of approximately 30,000 people can therefore be extrapolated to the general population both in Spain and Europe, as the volume of information amounts to nearly 10 million health data. IrsiCaixa and SEAT have analysed this stockpile and the results in areas such as smoking, excess weight, treated high blood pressure, hyperglycaemia, cholesterol, triglycerides, alcohol consumption or the practice of sports, among others, have led to the conclusion that the health of the employees is much better today than it was 20 years ago.

Although the levels compared with 1998 have improved in nearly every aspect, there are still some concerning data, such as 4 out of 10 people are currently overweight; that 28% of the population still smokes or that 48% of the population regularly practise sport Dr. Patricia Such, head of Occupational Health and Safety at SEAT, underlined that “our collection of clinical background at SEAT is real Big Data. Having such a vast simple has enabled us to draw some very interesting conclusions, and especially to come up with solutions that respond to the needs of our employees and the general public.” She also pointed out that “SEAT is proud to be working with medical and scientific institutions such as the Hospital Clínic, IrsiCaixa, ITAE and scientists from Harvard University.”

​

MedCARS, first joint study

The results of the retrospective study have been used as a basis for launching MedCARS, the first study on nutrition and healthy living jointly conducted by the above institutions. Dr. Bonaventura Clotet, honorary member of the SEAT Scientific committee, director of the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute and head of the Infectious Disease unit at the University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, ensures that “in the MedCARS study we are going to analyse the intestinal flora of the employees before and after the procedure to gain insights into how the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle influence the proper functioning of all bacteria that live in the intestine.”

The study is going to compare two groups of 300 volunteer employees, for a total of 600, who have received a complete medical check-up and whose eating habits have been analysed. One of the groups will be given guidelines on how to improve their lifestyle, and the health of both groups will be compared six months later to draw conclusions on the positive effects of the group that has followed the procedures. These characteristics make it a world pioneer study. In addition, even though the study is being conducted on 600 people, 2,000 employees will benefit indirectly as they are all going to receive in-depth medical care and the vending machine contents and daily sandwich are going to be replaced for all the employees.

Dr. Ramon Estruch, Internal Medicine consultant at the Hospital Clínic, head of the IDIBAPS team of research into cardiovascular risk, nutrition and aging, and CIBEROBN researcher from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, said that “MedCARS builds on the methodology and criteria of the Predimed study, which has proven that the Mediterranean diet has an impact on reducing mortality and the major chronic diseases.”

The measures also include urine, blood and stool samples; advice on nutrition, healthy recipes, lifestyle and sport; a monthly delivery of five litres of olive oil and nuts, thanks to the collaboration with Borges; a healthy sandwich at work; a healthy choice in vending machines; discounts at supermarkets, thanks to the agreement with Veritas; cooking workshops hosted by Michelin starred chefs as well as diet and psychological assistance in the form of seminars with the collaboration of the ITAE centre.

Moreover, Dr. Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, a doctor in nutrition and visiting scientist from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, underlined that“the study will allow us to prospectively analyse the health habits of the employees and the effectiveness of certain health promotion measures.”