Poor Diet Kills More than Cigarettes?! Key Study Shows We’re Eating Ourselves to Death by for Natural Society
The Western diet is no longer unique to the United States. Many countries the world over have adopted a diet laden with *excess* salt, fat, sugar, and other health-compromising ingredients. Now, people are literally paying for it with their lives, according to a recently published global study. [1]
Researchers looked at the eating habits of people from 195 countries to estimate how much poor diets contribute to mortality. They discovered that 11 million people die each year because they consume too many unhealthy foods and skimp on the healthful ones, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Food Takes More Lives than, Er… Cigarettes?
The team wrote in the journal Lancet that poor diet contributes to more global deaths than cigarette smoking.
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The study shows that 3 million global deaths could be attributed to excess sodium consumption. Another 3 million deaths were caused by a lack of whole grains, and 2 million more deaths were the result of a lack of adequate fruit consumption.
In 2017, the leading cause of diet-related deaths around the world was cardiovascular disease, followed by certain cancers and diabetes.
The findings show, once again, that a balanced diet is vital to overall health and longevity.
Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, said:
“The results are based on limited data and assumptions, but conclusions are consistent with major reports from public health and medical authorities.”
People living in countries where the Mediterranean diet is commonplace scored the best health-wise. The diet emphasizes fish and lean meats, whole grains, olive oil, and lots of fruits and vegetables. This makes sense, as people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease – possibly even as low as those taking statin drugs.
