Poor diet kills 1 in 5 people worldwide

A new study reveals that what you do not eat may be more important than what you do.

In what is known as "the most comprehensive analysis ever done on the effects of diet on health," researchers have found that a poor diet kills more people in the world than any other risk factor. In 2017, 11 million people (1 in 5) died of food-related illnesses, making malnutrition more damaging than smoking.

There is a difference between too much of a bad thing and not enough of a good thing, and this study, published in the lancet, reveals that a lack of healthy food affects health more deeply than a surplus of unhealthy foods. To quote Ashkan Afshin, associate professor at the University of Washington, involved in research,

"While traditionally the entire discussion about healthy eating was focused on reducing the consumption of unhealthy foods, we showed in this study that at the population level, low consumption of food was a major contributor to healthy eating. healthy food was the most important factor, rather than a high consumption. " unhealthy foods ".

The study analyzed the consumption of 15 dietary items in 195 countries using data over 27 years (1990-2017). These dietary items were: diets low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, milk, fiber, calcium, omega-3 seafood fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and diets rich in red meat, meat processed, sweetened beverages, trans fatty acids and sodium.

The researchers found that the countries whose regimes best matched the Mediterranean model had the best results. Israel ranks first for the number of deaths linked to the weakest diet, followed by France, Spain, Japan and Andorra. The largest number of diet-related deaths occurred in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. The United States ranked 43rd after Rwanda and Nigeria (41 and 42). The United Kingdom arrived at the 23rd.

The researchers found that while some countries consume optimal amounts of some items, for example, vegetable consumption was good in Central Asia, legumes in tropical Latin America and omega-3 fatty acids in the Asia-Pacific region. high income, no country elements.

Some countries, such as Mexico, have had mixed results. It ranks 11th for the lowest dietary disease risk, while having one of the highest levels of sweet drink intake (partly due to lack of access). to free drinking water and drinking water). This seems to be somewhat offset by the high consumption of whole grains in the form of tortillas. Other regions, such as Asia, have sodium level problems because of their preference for soy sauce and other salty seasonings.

Excerpt from a press release:

"The most important optimal intakes have been observed for nuts and seeds, milk, whole grains, and the largest excesses for sugary drinks, processed meat and sodium." consumed only 12% of the recommended nuts and seeds, and drank about ten times the recommended amount of sugary sweetened beverages. "

These results show the importance of diverting the discourse from the warning about unhealthy foods and encouraging it to consume healthy foods. And, in the words of Professor Nita Forouhi of Cambridge University, he "supports the need to move from nutrient-based guidelines to food-based recommendations". Perhaps like the impressive food guidelines of Brazil?

At the moment, the world is not producing enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains for all humans to consume an ideal amount (according to another fascinating study from the University of Guelph), but the global agricultural system can adapt to changing demand. NPR quotes Evan Fraser, co-author of this study:

"We produce too much fat, sugar and starch-based products, agribusinesses and farmers also play a role, and at the global level we have a gap between what we should eat and what we produce."

To address this inadequacy, governments, health care providers, educational institutions and households must first be willing to focus on eating healthier foods – and Food industry will take note of it. Studies such as this play a key role in raising awareness and resulting mental change.

Read the full study here.