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"You are what you eat," says an old saying. Indeed, what we put in our body has a direct impact on our well-being.
This has always seemed rather obvious, but a recent large-scale study has confirmed the link between dietary choices and the risk of premature death in strict terms.
According to the global burden of disease study, approximately 11 million deaths in 2017, about one-fifth of all adult deaths, were badociated with poor diet. It's more than just for tobacco, hypertension or any other health risk.
The study, published in the Lancet, helped track food trends from 1990 to 2017 in 195 countries.
"Among all forms of malnutrition, poor eating habits – especially low consumption of healthy foods – are the main risk factor for mortality," the researchers concluded.
Of the 15 food components examined, more deaths were linked to a lack of healthy food consumption, as opposed to excessive consumption of unhealthy foods.
The discovery may require a change of strategy from the health authorities, according to Dr. Christopher Murray, co-author of the study, director of the Institute of Metrology and Health Assessment of the United States. University of Washington.
"Although sodium, sugar and fat have been the subject of political debate over the last two decades, our badessment suggests that the main risk factors for diet are high sodium consumption or low consumption. healthy foods, such as whole grains, fruits and nuts. and seeds and vegetables, "he said.
Less emphasis on junk food
"Dietary policies focused on promoting healthy eating can have a more beneficial effect than unhealthy food advocacy policies", added Dr. Ashkan Afshin, lead author of the study and academic colleague of Murray.
Essentially, it may be less focus in the future on junk food and more on the consumption of solid nutrients.
Worldwide, diets were low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, milk, fiber, calcium, seafood, omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They were rich in red meat, processed meat, sugary drinks, trans fatty acids and sodium.
Research suggests that people may be more amenable to complying with nutrition guidelines if they are told to eat more of something good than less of something bad. / Photo file
Research suggests that people may be more amenable to complying with nutrition guidelines if they are told to eat more of something good than less of something bad. / Photo file
The study determined that such suboptimal diets contributed to a range of chronic diseases, particularly cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes that resulted in death.
They also contribute to long-term disability, which resulted in 2017 in 255 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), the sum of the years of life lost and the number of years of life lost. years lived with an illness or disability.
None of the 21 regions covered in the report consumed the optimal amount of all 15 dietary items.
Some regions have managed to eat some dietary items in sufficient quantities. The exceptions were the consumption of vegetables in Central Asia, the omega-3 seafood high income Asia Pacific and legumes in the Caribbean, tropical Latin America, South Asia, Western sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern sub-Saharan Africa.
Among the unhealthy food groups, the consumption of sodium-based drinks and sugary drinks was above optimal in almost all regions.
The challenge of change
At the regional level, high sodium intake (greater than 3 g per day) was the main risk of death and illness in China, Japan and Thailand. Low consumption of whole grains (less than 125 grams per day) was the leading nutritional risk factor for death and disease in the United States, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, in Germany, Iran and Turkey. In Bangladesh, fruit consumption (less than 250 grams per day) was the main dietary risk, and in Mexico, low consumption of nuts and seeds (less than 21 grams per day) is first rank.
Rates of life adjusted for disability (DALY) attributable to diets. / The Lancet chart
Rates of life adjusted for disability (DALY) attributable to diets. / The Lancet chart
Countries with the lowest dietary death rates were Israel (89 deaths per 100,000 population), France, Spain, Japan and Andorra. China ranked 140th (350 deaths per 100,000 population). Uzbekistan (892 deaths per 100,000 population), Afghanistan, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu are the countries with the highest rate of diet-related deaths.
The authors of the study said their findings underscore the urgent need to coordinate global efforts to improve diets through collaboration with various sectors of the food system and policies that balance diets.
But it will not be easy, since it has been difficult to change eating habits.
One hurdle to overcome is that healthy options are generally more expensive. According to Professor Nita Forouhi of the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day and per person make up 52% of household income in low-income countries , for example.
In addition, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and the greater availability of unhealthy food products ordered via a smartphone will make the job even more difficult.
But we must find creative ways to promote healthy food components. The message must be, as the old English proverb says, "do not dig your grave with your knife and fork" or with your spoons and chopsticks.
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