The influence of diet on global mortality
A scientific study reveals that poor nutrition has a significant impact on global mortality, surpassing even smoking. Excessive sodium consumption and lack of grains and fruits are identified as major factors contributing to this alarming trend. Published in 2019 in the journal The Lancet, the study indicates that in 2017, approximately 1 in 5 deaths worldwide were linked to a poor diet. These data highlight the critical importance of following a balanced and healthy diet for disease prevention.
The importance of food choices
To put these figures into context, in the same year there were almost 10 million deaths caused by all types of cancer and 6 million caused by smoking. In addition, the number of people who died due to diet has increased from 8 million in 1990 to 11 million in 2017. Among the dietary factors analyzed by the authors of the study, the low consumption of healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, milk, fiber or omega-3, as well as excess consumption of foods such as red meat, sugary drinks, fatty acids or salt.
Variability according to regions
The study analyzes 195 countries divided into 21 different regions and reveals that none of these regions meet the ideal requirements in the 15 dietary factors analyzed. The country with the lowest mortality rate linked to poor nutrition is Israel, with 89 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. In contrast, Uzbekistan has the highest death rate in the world, with 892 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. These data highlight the significant variability in food choices and their repercussions on health worldwide.
Specific factors according to each country
Despite similar causes of mortality worldwide, each country presents its own particularities. For example, in countries like China and Japan, the leading cause of death is high sodium consumption, while in the United States or Brazil, the leading cause is low consumption of whole grains. In addition, the availability and cost of food also play a crucial role in food choices and thus in the diet-related mortality rate.
