Poor Diet a Major Contributor to Mortality and Morbidity

A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 found that suboptimal diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risks and that improvement of diet could potentially prevent one in every five deaths globally. By use of a comparative risk assessment approach and disease-specific population attributable fractions, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), the study evaluated the consumption of major foods and nutrients across 195 countries and quantified the impact of their suboptimal intake on non-communicable diseases (NCD) mortality and morbidity. In 2017, 11 million deaths and 255 million DALYs were attributable to dietary risk factors. High intake of sodium (3 million deaths and 70 million DALYs), low intake of whole grains (3 million deaths and 82 million DALYs), and low intake of fruits (2 million deaths and 65 million DALYs) were the leading dietary risk factors for deaths and DALYs globally and in many countries. Although the impact of individual dietary factors varied across countries, non-optimal intake of the 3 dietary factors accounted for more than 50% of deaths and 66% of DALYs attributable to diet. The study provides a comprehensive picture of the potential impact of suboptimal diet on NCD mortality and morbidity, highlighting the need for improving diet across the globe. Source: https://www.thelancet.com/