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The Importance of Nutrition

This month, we are emphasizing the importance of nutrition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthy nutrition is profoundly important in keeping Americans in good health throughout their lives. People with healthy patterns of eating have been shown, on average, to live longer and to be at lower risk for several significant health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. For patients already affected with chronic diseases, healthy eating can often help in the management of these conditions and in the prevention of complications. The CDC has found that fewer than one in 10 children and adults consume the recommended daily amount of vegetables. Additionally, they have found that only four in 10 kids and fewer than one in 7 adults consume enough fruit. Poor nutrition has been found to contribute to many costly diseases, including heart disease, obesity and some cancers.

As we consider global nutrition habits and life spans, the Blue Zones are five fascinating demographically confirmed and geographically defined areas with the highest percentage of centenarians on earth. Countries in this zone include Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece and Okinawa, Japan. In these locations, individuals are reaching the age of 100 at 10 times greater rates than in America.

Okinawa has been found to have a life expectancy of 84 years. The current American life expectancy is approximately 78 years and eight months. The local life expectancy for Smith County is 78 years and two months. These Blue Zones share certain common characteristics referred to as the “Power 9” factors, which include purpose, moving naturally (when safe and possible for the patient), slowing down, a sense of belonging, maintaining relationships with loved ones and other factors. Additionally, many of these cultures emphasize consumption of beans (fava, black beans, soy, lentils) and a less frequent emphasis on meat, in comparison to the typical American diet. However, meat is still eaten in their diet, as it can provide important nutrients. When eaten, meat is usually consumed in smaller portions, as compared to the average American diet.

In Sardinia, there is an emphasis on whole grains, beans, garden vegetables and fruit. In Okinawa, there is an emphasis on root vegetables (sweet potatoes), yellow and green vegetables, other plants and soybean-based foods, as well as seafood, fruit and lean meats. Members of the Loma Linda Blue Zone often eat a diet directly taken from the Bible. They tend to also incorporate leafy greens, nuts and legumes in their diet. In Nicoya, the citizens consume little to no processed foods, and they eat lots of antioxidant-rich tropical fruit. In Ikaria, the average lifespan is eight years longer than the American lifespan. This particular population has been shown to have 20 percent less cancer, half of our rate of heart disease and very low rates of dementia. In Ikaria, they tend to eat a variation of the Mediterranean diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, potatoes and olive oil.

America is currently experiencing the effects of the obesity epidemic. Currently, states in our region are experiencing the presence of obesity in 30 percent or more of our citizens. Another significant fraction of our population is becoming overweight. It is expected that these trends will only continue to rise in the foreseeable future in America (and in other parts of the industrialized world). It is thought that these changes are due to a number of factors, including higher energy intake (increased 300 kcal/day since 1985), larger portion sizes at home and outside the home, higher frequency of eating outside the home and less energy expenditure. This is due to work being more reliant on machines and automated processes, less active occupations, increased amount of sedentary work, less physical labor and a greater amount of sedentary time (relaxing on the couch). Other factors also may contribute to the rise in obesity, and these factors may include poor sleep habits, epigenetics and more time spent in neutral temperature-controlled environments indoors.

Science has shown that obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, liver disease, certain mental health issues, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), cancer, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and other conditions. The CDC has found that modest weight loss of 5-10 percent of total body weight (in a person who weighs too much) is likely to produce many benefits, including improved blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, mood, mobility, self-confidence and energy level.

In conclusion, it is important to eat healthily and to eat appropriate portions in order to maintain a healthy weight for the average patient. Many doctors have noted the benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet, which emphasizes consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats (which could come from olive oil, nuts, seeds and fats from fish like herring, mackerel, albacore tuna, sardines, salmon and lake trout) instead of the less healthy fats (like saturated and trans fats) which can contribute to heart disease. This diet includes weekly consumption of fish, poultry, beans and eggs. Herbs are included as well. This type of diet also includes moderate portions of dairy products and a limited intake of red meat.

We know that our patients have a wide variety of conditions and questions related to diet and specific food groups and their effects on health conditions and health status. No single diet is perfect for every individual, but the food habits listed above are beneficial for health promotion in the average healthy American. Please consult with your primary care physician for specific questions related to health conditions if there are certain food groups you have been instructed to avoid or to specifically include (examples: lactose-intolerant patients, patients with diabetes, anemic patients, patients with hypertension, high cholesterol, food allergies, heart failure, food intolerances, vitamin deficiencies and other conditions).

Thank you for reading and remember to eat healthy and in moderation!

 

Information provided by Edwin Anders, MD, MPH, UT Health North Campus Tyler Preventive Medicine & Population Health. To find a primary care physician, visit UTHealthEastTexasDoctors.com or call 903-596-DOCS.

 

 

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