Poor diet is the biggest health risk and deadlier than smoking, study finds

Researchers have found that eating unhealthily accounts for a fifth of all deaths and claims more lives than smoking.

This is because of its links to heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

More than 130 scientists compared dietary habits to rates of death and disease in 195 countries, according to The Independent.

They found that in 2017 a poor diet was responsible for 11 million deaths, or 22% of all deaths recorded.

A table analysing diet-related deaths found that a low intake of wholegrains and fruits, and high consumption of sodium accounted for more than half of diet-related deaths, reports Metro.

The rest were attributed to high consumption of red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened drinks and other unhealthy foods containing trans-fatty acids.

Most diet-related deaths were due to heart disease, followed by cancers and then type 2 diabetes.

Researchers reported in The Lancet journal that, in comparison with a poor diet, smoking tobacco was associated with eight million deaths.

Lead scientist Dr Ashkan Afshin, from the University of Washington in the US, said that a poor diet is an equal opportunity killer.

“We are what we eat, and risks affect people across a range of demographics, including age, gender and economic status,” Dr Afshin said to Country Express.

“We’re highlighting the importance of low consumption of healthy foods as compared to the greater consumption of unhealthy foods. Dietary policies focusing on promoting healthy eating can have a more beneficial effect than policies advocating against unhealthy foods.”

Sources: The Lancet journal, The Independent, Metro, Country Express