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A new analysis suggests that too much salt – and not enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables – is likely to cost us years of our lives.
In a study published Wednesday in the Lancet, researchers examined eating habits of people in 195 countries to assess the extent to which a poor diet contributes to mortality. Their discoveries? According to the study, these 11 million people die each year in the world because, at least in part, of certain foods.
Lead author Ashkan Afshin, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington, said the researchers felt that, overall, poor nutrition was responsible for more deaths worldwide than any other risk factor, including smoking, considered one of the biggest threats to the public. health.
The problem, he said, is not just what people eat; but that's also what they do not eat. The study estimated that 3 million deaths worldwide were due to too much sodium, but an additional 3 million were attributable to a lack of whole grains and 2 million to too few fruits.
Experts say this confirms what health professionals have been teaching for years: a balanced diet is important for a long and healthy life.
Afshin, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Metrology Sciences at the University of Washington, said researchers had evaluated data from a survey of food consumption, food sales, and Household spending over the past three decades, to estimate the impact of a poor diet on mortality from noncommunicable diseases. , like heart disease.
The researchers estimated that in 2017, cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of diet-related deaths worldwide, followed by some cancers and diabetes.
"The findings are based on limited data and assumptions, but the findings are consistent with key reports from medical authorities and public health," said Marion Nestle, professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies and public health at the University of New York. Nestle noted that researchers seemed to recommend a diet largely, but not exclusively, herbal, "and that's what everyone says these days."
Afshin, lead author of the study, said the countries where the Mediterranean diet – high in fiber and heart-healthy fibers were good – scored the best in the researchers' pattern, with Israel ranking first in the least diets. related deaths. France and Spain ranked respectively second and third, according to research. Afshin has defined the Mediterranean diet as a diet characterized by a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy oils, such as olive oil.
The United States ranked No. 43.
Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic where refined carbohydrates such as bread and pasta are staple foods, had the worst score, with a death rate of 891 per 100,000 population.
Bruce Lee, Associate Professor of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Executive Director of the World Center for Obesity Prevention, said the research provided additional support for the fact that poor diets are associated to noncommunicable diseases, which have become the leading cause of death in the world, but he noted that nutrition is not the only factor. Physical inactivity and various environmental, economic and social factors are the main contributors, he said.
"Diets can contribute to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by increasing weight and obesity, increasing blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, or high levels of fat in the blood, and causing high blood pressure. sugar high in the blood, "Lee said in an email. He added that one of the problems is that "unhealthy foods such as those that are highly processed with artificial ingredients are often cheaper to manufacture, store, ship and prepare. more natural and healthy foods in food systems around the world. " . "
But is a bad diet really responsible for more deaths than even smoking?
Nestle, from the University of New York, suggested that it made sense that dietary risk is higher because everyone eats – but not everyone smokes. So, she said that "the diet is a risk factor for everyone".
Researchers have not found a country that has always performed well in all forms of diet. For example, Israel, which has the highest overall score, is ranked lowest in terms of consumption of processed meats. Afshin, however, said the results should inspire people to try to eat better and policy makers to create and promote policies to increase the consumption of healthy foods.
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Author information:
Lindsey Bever is a reporter for the Washington Post. It covers national news with a focus on health. She was previously a reporter at the Dallas Morning News.
(c) 2019, the Washington Post
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