Need more proof that diet plays a big role in keeping today’s biggest killers at bay? According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2017, nearly HALF of all US deaths from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in 2012 were attributed to substandard eating habits. The study was funded by both the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
The results, based on death certificate data, revealed that of the 702,308 adult deaths from cardiovascular-related causes, 318,656 were associated with consuming excess sodium, eating processed meats and foods, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as not getting enough of the good nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies and seafood rich in omega-3 fats. That is about 45%, or almost half that were legitimately attributed to too much salt, sugar and processed junk in the diet.
As a result of these findings, researchers are proposing using them to help guide public health strategies for diet and disease prevention. Of course, it really should just be common sense to eat natural and unprocessed foods rich in vitamins and minerals and to avoid excesses of salt, sugar and chemicals.
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