Smoking is a worldwide public-health concern and a major preventable cause of premature death and disease. Now research reports that a poor diet is as bad for the health as smoking. A report published by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has found that insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables and fish reduces life expectancy and causes the most serious cases of illness and death in The Netherlands. The researchers recommend that greater public health gains can be made worldwide through encouraging a healthy diet.
The RIVM report, "Our Food, Our Health: healthy diet and safe food in The Netherlands", was presented at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Advisory Forum meeting on May 19, 2006 in Vienna, Austria. The RIVM researchers analyzed data from long-term diet studies and health risk assessments to forecast the effect of trends and interventions on public health.
The RIVM report concluded the following:
1. A poor diet reduced the life expectancy of 40 year old Dutch people by 1.2 years. Obesity reduced life expectancy by 0.8 years.
2. A poor diet causes serious disability and death, and is as bad for the health as smoking.
3. Positive trends include a decreased trans fats and saturated fats consumption and an increased fish intake.
4. Negative trends include a decreased fruits, vegetables and fiber consumption. About 75 percent of the Dutch consume less than the recommended amount for fruits, vegetables and fiber.
5. Poor diet causes about 13,000 deaths due to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer each year in The Netherlands. Obesity causes about 7,000 deaths due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Food-related infections cause about 20 to 200 deaths yearly.
6. A 3 kilogram (6.6 pounds) weight loss would prevent approximately 25 percent of deaths and serious illness in Dutch adults.
REFERENCES:
1. European Food Safety Authority welcomes report that helps target public food policy and research, RIVM.nl, RIVM Press Release, May 29, 2006:
http://www.rivm.nl/en/persberichten/Dutch_Research_Identifies_Health_
Threats_Food_Diet.jsp
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on October 29, 2006 03:38 PM
