Poor diet linked to 1 in 5 deaths worldwide: study – Health



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One in five deaths in the world is linked to poor nutrition, experts said Thursday, warning that over-consumption of sugar, salt and meat is killing millions every year.

The United Nations estimates that nearly one billion people in the world are malnourished and nearly two billion are "overfed".

But the latest study on global dietary trends, published in The Lancet, showed that in almost every country studied out of 195, people also ate too much of the wrong types of food – and consumed worrying amounts healthier products.

For example, the world consumes on average more than ten times the recommended amount of sweetened drinks and 86% more sodium per person compared to safety.

The study, which examined consumption and disease trends between 1990 and 2017, also warned that too many people were eating far too little whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds to maintain a healthy diet. healthy lifestyle.

Of the 11 million deaths attributable to unhealthy eating, the deadliest was by far cardiovascular disease, often caused or aggravated by obesity.

"This study confirms what many have been thinking for years: a poor diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor in the world," said study author Christopher Murray, director of the Institute of Metrology and Health Assessment of the University of Toronto. Washington.

Read also: Scientists reveal "ideal diet" for the health of people and the planet

"Our badessment suggests that the major dietary risk factors are high sodium intake or low intake of healthy foods."

The report highlighted a wide variation in diet-related deaths between countries, with Uzbekistan, a country at higher risk, recording a diet-based mortality rate greater than ten times that of children. Israel, the most at risk.

EAT-Lancet Report

In January, a consortium of three dozen researchers called for a radical change in the way the world eats.

The EAT-Lancet report states that the world's population must consume about half as much red meat and sugar and twice as much vegetables, fruits and nuts to prevent an epidemic of obesity in the world and avoid climate change. catastrophic".

The authors of Thursday's study noted that economic inequality was a factor of poor food choices in many countries.

It has been found that on average, reaching the "five servings a day" of fruit and vegetables advocated by doctors accounted for only 2% of household income in rich countries, but more than half of household income in the poorest countries.

"This study gives us good evidence of what we need to focus on to improve diets, and therefore health, at the global and national levels," said Oyinlola Oyebode, badociate professor at Warwick Medical School, who said not participated in the research.

"The lack of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in diets around the world is very important, but the other dietary factor highlighted by this study is high sodium intake."

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