Researchers from the University of Alabama (United States) studied the eating habits and cardiovascular risks of 17,418 Americans over 45 for 6 years.
Scientists have observed 4 types of diet. A balanced diet based on vegetables, proteins and starches, a diet made up of sugars, a vegetable and alcohol diet and a diet rich in fried foods, sugar and cold cuts.
Fans (very numerous in the southern United States) of fried chicken, bacon and sodas put their heart health at risk even compared to people who eat pasta, pizza, Mexican cuisine or Chinese cuisine. Or those who had a diet that was mainly sweet and composed mainly of desserts or confectionery or people who drink a lot of alcohol but eat a large amount of vegetables.
“Regardless of your gender, ethnicity or where you live, if you frequently eat foods typical of southern cuisine, you should be aware of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and strive to change your habits,” says James Shikany, a University of Alabama epidemiologist and lead author of the research.
Improving diet and lifestyle is essential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the world’s population, since these pathologies cause a huge number of deaths worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases cause twice as many deaths in Europe as cancers and kill around 4 million people a year. 1.8 million suffer from coronary heart disease, one million from stroke and 1.2 from other heart diseases.
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