Is an unhealthy diet more harmful than smoking tobacco? Lancet study says yes
Monday, April 8, 2019 IST
According to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal, bad diets kill more people each year than tobacco consumption.
Eleven million deaths which occur globally each year are caused by bad dietary practices, according to a new study — a figure that’s alarmingly more than the number of deaths which occur due to smoking tobacco.
The study, which was published in the Lancet medical journal, was done by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) based in Seattle, Washington. It was done as part of the Global Burden of Disease research.
Interestingly enough, it is not the presence of junk food in the diet, but rather the absence of healthier and more nutritious food choices in the diet, which the study deems responsible for this issue. It was also found that one in five deaths could be prevented by changing dietary habits and including healthier choices in one’s diet.
The study also attributes poor dietary habits to be the cause behind the increase in certain non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, strokes, and even type 2 diabetes. Eating far too few fruits and vegetables and including too much sodium in the diet accounted for half of all deaths measured in the study. While doctors and nutritionists generally focus on trying to get people to decrease the amount of sugar, trans-fat, and salt included in their diets, the team which conducted the study has stated that it may be more beneficial to have them highlight the foods which should be included rather than the ones which should be reduced.
Similarly, several older studies show a correlation between diet and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
The lead author of the study, Dr Ashkan Afshin of the IHME, encourages people to include healthier options in their diets and not just merely focus on cutting out junk food. “Generally in real life, people do substitution. When they increase the consumption of something, they decrease the consumption of other things,” said Dr Ashkan.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
Lung cancer is usually not noticeable during the early stages. Most people are diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced stage. According to Cancer.org, it is ...
Recently posted . 9K views . 2 min read
The health benefits of wood apple include [1] relief from constipation, indigestion, peptic ulcer, piles, respiratory problems, diarrhea, and dysentery. It also b...
Recently posted . 6K views . 2 min read
The scientists likewise shared how much liquor an individual can drink prior to facing overabundance risk challenges their wellbeing, contrasted with somebody who...
Recently posted . 6K views . 1 min read
Bael, also known as the “Wood Apple”, is a species native to India. The bael tree is considered to be sacred to the Hindus. A famous drink known as sh...
Recently posted . 6K views . 2 min read
More in Food & Health
A new study suggests that men who frequently consume beef are much more likely to develop an inflammatory bowel situation referred to as diverticulitis.
...
Recently posted. 1K views . 7 min read
Way back, in the Sindh province, the papad was not just an accompaniment to meals but was offered as a snack to guests along with a glass of water
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read
Researchers have recently found that the common factor between obesity and tooth wear are the sugary soft drinks.
Recently posted. 959 views . 0 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 3K views
Recently posted . 2K views . 62 min read
Recently posted . 2K views . 67 min read
What you believe about how food affects well-being likely influences your opinion of organics and GMOs.
How do Americans feel about organic and genetical...
Recently posted. 1K views . 30 min read
Women who had experienced an incomplete pregnancy were about half as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as women who had never had an incomplete pregnancy....
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read