Chicago – A study from Tufts University found that Americans food habits are linked with deaths from diabetes and heart disease. The survey suggests that Americans are not eating enough healthy food, but they are overeating junk food like bacon.
This new research used official data that shows that in 2012 there were around 70,000 deaths from heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. With this information, they asked people to answer a survey about their eating habits and the intake of healthy food.
The objective of this study was to estimate the association between intake of 10 specific dietary factors and heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes in the U.S.
For reaching that objective, researchers made a comparison of the data from 1999 to 2002 and from 2009 to 2012. This data was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of those years.
The conclusions, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, show that dietary habits are associated with “a substantial proportion of deaths from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes,” the study says.
Americans needs a healthier eating plan
The US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion published in 2015 the “2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines” recommends having a healthy eating pattern that accounts for all foods and beverage within an appropriate calorie level.
According to those guidelines, a healthy eating pattern may include a variety of vegetables from all of the subgroups, fruits, grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy such as milk, yogurt, cheese, etc., a variety of protein foods and oils. Also, those guidelines recommend limiting the saturated fats and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.
In the United States, it has been established that an adult may consume less tan 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars, less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats, less than 2,300 milligrams per day of sodium, and up to one alcoholic drink per day for women, and up to two drinks per day for men.
Also, other studies show that healthy eating patterns are linked with positive lives. Substantial evidence shows that healthy eating patterns are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, overweight, and obesity.
New labels are coming
This month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration celebrates the National Nutrition Month, and they are discussing some updates for the nutritional labels. They said that these updates want to ensure consumers have access to the information that would help them take informed decisions about the food. The updates could include a bigger size for Calories declaration, and bolding the number of calories and the “serving size” declaration.
Also, the FDA wants the manufacturers to declare the amount of Vitamin D, iron and potassium in the products. Also, other vitamins and minerals can be added and voluntarily reported in labels.
These updates are made after 20 years of the last one, and the U.S. Government thinks that it is time to make changes to ensure consumers have access to more accurate information. Those changes are based on scientific data, new nutrition, and public health research, the FDA said.
Source: Time