DIET vs DRUGS

SO WHAT IS THIS RESEARCH ABOUT?

This American review article is calling out the conflicts of interest within politics, profits and Pharma that directly and devastatingly impact our diet and our cardio-metabolic health.

This article is a ‘pre-proof’ – which means that although it has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication, it has not yet been formally published. This means versions will undergo additional copyediting, formatting and supplementary files may still be added. Pre-proofs can be cited using the year of online publication.

WHAT DID I FIND INTERESTING?

The INTERHEART and INTERSTROKE studies found that modifiable health and lifestyle factors accounted for at least 90% of the risk for myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke worldwide. And we can reduce our risk of death from these disease by 80% if we change our diet and lifestyle to a healthy one.

So why does public health policy not support us in doing that? Especially considering it would save nearly a quarter of the $3.5 TRILLION annual healthcare budget in the USA!

This paper reveals the conflicts of interest within Western governments who are putting profit before its people.

Let’s break it down.

SO, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

The science suggests that a healthy diet is one high in fibre, low in saturated fat and cholesterol – as exemplified by a plant based diet.

However the USA has food subsidies in the USA for corn, soybeans, sorghum, (all being raw ingredients for animal feed – and highly processed foods) dairy and livestock – which means all of these products are put on the market at below market value.

The cost of food influences our food choices.

As does other social determinants of our health – our education, race, adverse childhood events and our geographic location.

And here lies the problem.

Food made cheaper by the government, is the food we are not recommended to eat.

And who does this affect disproportionately – our most vulnerable people. Those who don’t have time to cook (likely to be working multiple jobs – because they are on a low wage – and those – who well – are on a low wage.)

And not only are these policies affecting our most vulnerable – they are exploiting these vulnerabilities too!

The advertising budget is being used to promote soda (80% of the $11 BILLION is spent this way! – with only 0.5% being used for fruit and vegetables.)

And 98% of adverts shown to children are high fat, sugar and salt food products – when we KNOW (through research) that what we eat during childhood greatly influences lifelong dietary choices. I suppose this is why some food companies employ child psychologists!

We know, through the North Karelia study – cited in this paper – that when public policy follows the science and its people, huge improvements can be made – with this approach boasting a 66% reduction in deaths from heart attacks and strokes leading to an increase in life expectancy of 6 years.

We really need a radical rethink of how public policy – not only relating to our health – is done.

Those in power are continually putting profits before people and it has to stop!

To read this paper in full click here

To listen to the Getting Geeky podcast episode discussing this article click here