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Poor Diet: Major Contributor to Heart Disease Deaths Globally

by Iswarya on Oct 16 2020 12:29 PM

Globally, healthier diets could prevent over two-thirds of deaths from ischaemic heart disease, according to a new study.

Poor Diet: Major Contributor to Heart Disease Deaths Globally
Globally, healthier diets could prevent over two-thirds of deaths from heart disease, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the European Heart Journal - Quality of Care and Clinical Outcomes.//
The //conclusions come on World Food Day, which highlights the significance of affordable and sustainable healthy diets for all.

"Our analysis shows that unhealthy diets, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure are the top 3 contributors to deaths from ischaemic heart disease," stated study author Dr. Xinyao Liu.

"More than 6 million deaths could be avoided by decreasing intake of trans and saturated fats, sugary beverages, processed foods, and added salt and sugar while boosting intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and whole grains. Ideally, we should consume 200 to 300 mg of omega-three fatty acids from seafood every day. On top of that, every day, we must aim for 290 to 430 grams of vegetables, 200 to 300 grams of fruit, 100 to 150 grams of whole grains, and 16 to 25 grams of nuts," she added.

The study examined data provided by the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, which was conducted in 195 countries between 1990 and 2017.

Dr. Liu said: "Although progress has been made in preventing heart disease and improving survival, especially in developed countries, the number of people impacted continues to sour because of population growth and aging."

The researchers assessed the impact of 11 risk factors on death from ischaemic heart disease. These were diet, high serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high plasma glucose, high blood pressure, tobacco use, alcohol use, high body mass index (BMI), air pollution, low physical activity, impaired kidney function, and lead exposure. Specifically, they calculated the proportion of deaths that could be stopped by reducing that risk factor.

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Considering all other risk factors remained unchanged, 69.2 percent of ischaemic heart disease deaths worldwide could be prevented if healthier diets were chosen.

Dr. Liu said: "Ischaemic heart disease is mostly preventable with healthy behaviors, and individuals should take the initiative to improve their habits. In addition, geographically tailored strategies are required - for example, programs to decrease salt intake may have the greatest benefit in Asian regions where consumption is high (e.g., China or central Asia)."

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