In with the good, out with the bad

Nearly half of all deaths are linked to the cumulative effects of poor diet. It’s not just about over-consuming bad food. It’s just as much about not consuming enough good food. Americans are over-consuming salt, processed meats and sweetened beverages. We are under-consuming fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, vegetable oils and fish. 

We need to be reminded of this simple truth: Eating healthy can and will prevent people from dying prematurely from heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Nearly one in five dollars in our economy is spent on health care. Health care premiums are rising, and profits and the competitive nature of U.S. businesses are being crippled. Obesity, diabetes and related conditions are at epidemic levels. The number of older Americans is at a record high and will double by 2050, increasing disease. It’s evident that these costs cannot be reined in by changes in health care financing, insurance payments or medical advances. 

We have an opportunity to turn policy around. We can support the implementation and evaluation of public health interventions to improve the way Americans eat. For example, our research at the Friedman School identifies salt as a key target. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced voluntary sodium reduction targets for the food industry; this is quite timely, and we need to engage industry to gradually reduce salt content in processed foods. Within the health system, changes to clinician education, multi-disciplinary care teams, the electronic health record, quality guidelines, and reimbursement standards can each facilitate lifestyle counseling and behavior change.

Preventing premature deaths through promoting healthy eating habits is a timely and urgent priority from a health perspective.

The take-home message for our own food choices: Eat more of the good and less of the bad. Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, vegetable oils and fish.  And eat less salt, processed meats and sweetened beverages. Start by making one healthier choice each day and build on it.

We have a choice. We can continue to make ourselves sick by what we eat and we can continue to drive up health care costs and drive down quality of life. Or we can eat better. Eating better leads to better lives, lower healthcare costs and, in many cases, a longer life.

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian is a cardiologist, Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition and Medicine, and Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. The Friedman School is the oldest and most renowned graduate school of nutrition in North America.