Unprocessed red meat and whole grains can be included or excluded from a healthy diet, according to a study conducted in 80 countries across all inhabited continents and published today. European Heart Journal, A Journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 Diets emphasizing fruits, vegetables, dairy (mainly whole fat), nuts, legumes, and fish were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature death in all regions of the world. Adding unprocessed red meat or whole grains has little effect on the results.
“Low-fat diets have become a focus for the public, the food industry and policymakers, with nutrition labels focusing on reducing fat and saturated fat,” said study author Dr. Andrew Mente of the Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. . “Our findings suggest that priority should be given to protective foods such as nuts (often avoided as too high in energy density), fish and dairy (especially full fat) rather than limiting them to very small amounts. Our results show that up to two servings of dairy a day Dairy, mainly full fat, can be included in a healthy diet. This is consistent with modern nutritional science showing that dairy foods, especially whole fat, can protect against high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.”
The study examined the relationship between a new diet score and health outcomes in a global population. A healthy diet score was created based on six foods that are each associated with longevity. The clean diet included 2-3 servings of fruit per day, 2-3 servings of vegetables per day, 3-4 servings of vegetables per week, 7 servings of nuts per week, 2-3 servings of fish per week, and 14 servings. Dairy products (predominantly full fat but not including butter or whipped cream) per week. A score of 1 (healthy) was assigned for moderate to above intake and a score of 0 (unhealthy) for moderate or below intake, for a total of 0 to 6. Dr Mente explained: “The top 50% of the participating population – an achievable level – achieved the highest six food scores in each of the six food components.”
Associations of the score with mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke and total CVD (including fatal CVD and non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure) were examined in a pure study that included 147,642 people from the general population of 21 countries. Analyzes were adjusted for factors that may have influenced subjects’ age, gender, waist-to-hip ratio, education level, income, urban or rural location, physical activity, smoking status, diabetes, statin or hypertension medication use. , and the total energy consumption.
The mean diet score was 2.95. During a median follow-up of 9.3 years, 15,707 deaths and 40,764 cardiovascular events occurred. Compared to the least healthy diet (score of 1 or less), a healthy diet (score of 5 or more) was associated with a 30% lower risk of death, an 18% lower risk of developing CVD, a 14% lower risk of myocardial infarction, and a 19% lower risk of stroke. The association between healthy diet scores and outcomes was confirmed in five independent studies with a total of 96,955 patients with CVD in 70 countries.
Dr Mente said: “This was the most diverse nutrition and health outcomes study in the world and the only one with adequate representation of high, middle and low income countries. The link between clean eating and health outcomes. Commonly found in healthy people, CVD patients, diabetics and economies. “
“Associations were strongest in regions with the poorest quality diets, including South Asia, China and Africa, where caloric intake was low and dominated by refined carbohydrates. This suggests that a large proportion of deaths and CVD may be among adults around the world. For malnutrition, that is, excess Low intake of energy and protective foods rather than nutrients. This challenges current beliefs,” said Professor Salim Yusuf, PURE’s senior author and principal investigator.
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Friedman of the School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, US. Dariush Mozaffarian said: “The new findings at PURE, combined with previous reports, call for a re-evaluation of the relentless guidelines. Avoid full-fat dairy products. Findings such as those investigated by Mente and colleagues help address the continuing and devastating increase in diet-related chronic disease worldwide and this burden. reminds us of the power of protective foods to do. Now is the time for national nutrition guidelines, private sector innovation, government tax policies and agricultural incentives, food procurement policies, labeling and other regulatory priorities, and food-based health care interventions to catch up with the science. Millions Lives depend on it.”