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An unhealthy diet causes about half of all deaths from heart disease
Surely you've heard of an unhealthy diet that can lead to many health problems. Researchers now found that consuming the right amount of certain foods could avoid many deaths from the consequences of poor nutrition.
The researchers at Tufts University in the US found that about half of the deaths from heart disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes could be avoided by dieting with certain foods. The physicians published the results of their study in the medical journal "JAMA" (Journal of the American Medical Association).
Many people around the world are dying from the consequences of an unhealthy diet. Ten different types of food have a particularly large impact on our life expectancy. (Image: Jacek Chabraszewski / fotolia.com) 45 percent of deaths from certain illnesses are related to nutrition?
The authors said that about 45 percent of the deaths from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in America in 2012 were due to people eating too much or too little of ten specific types of food.
Study leads to a better understanding
The results of the study help to better understand which foods can contribute to the premature death of people through so-called cardiometabolic diseases. Renata Micha from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston.
Focus more on increased consumption of healthy foods
"We should make sure that we maximize the consumption of healthy foods, rather than focusing on reducing the intake of unhealthy products," adds the expert. In addition, people should pay more attention to food in their diet and not just look at individual nutrients.
The current study builds on a variety of sources. These included, for example, the collected National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1999 to 2002 and from 2009 to 2012.
These ten components of nutrition are particularly strong
Scientists identified ten different components of nutrition that are closely related to heart disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes. These include sodium, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, unprocessed red meats, processed meats, polyunsaturated fats, seafood, and sugary drinks.
Almost half of the deaths could be avoided through proper nutrition
Based on participants' nutrition diaries, researchers estimated that 318,656 of the 702,308 deaths from heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes were in people who consumed too much or too little of those ten foods.
Impact of certain foods on mortality
A diet with too much sodium was associated with 66,508 deaths. Consumption of too few nuts and seeds was associated with 59,374 deaths, say the scientists. The consumption of over-processed meat was associated with 57,766 deaths, while under-fat fish led to 54,626 deaths. A diet with too few vegetables caused 53,410 deaths. In addition, 52,547 deaths were attributed to the consumption of too few fruits, the authors explain. High-sugar drinks led to 51,695 deaths.
Men are more affected than women
In the course of the study, it became clear that men in general die more frequently than women from cardiometabolic disorders associated with a suboptimal diet. Younger people were more at risk than older people. People with a higher education were less at risk, compared to those with less education, explain the physicians.
Significant decrease in deaths between the two survey periods
Between the two survey periods, the rate in the United States declined by more than 25 percent due to cardiometabolic disease. During this time, the diet of humans improved. They consumed more polyunsaturated fats, nuts and seeds, whole grains and fruits, say the experts. In addition, they reduced the consumption of sugary drinks.
The food system needs to change
People should know that there is no miracle cure for complete reduction of cardiometabolic disease, the researchers emphasize. Important is a healthy diet. To help individuals, the food system needs to be changed, explains author Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian from Tufts University. Within the food system, people can look at the different factors of the diet, then try to improve one of those factors. When this goal is achieved, the next factor in nutrition can be addressed, the expert adds. (As)