FIUSM Student Thoughts: The “western” diet is killing us
- Aug 7, 2015
- 1 min read
The developing world is seeing rapid urbanization along with a transition in nutrition and lifestyle. More people have adopted a “western” diet consisting of red meat, refined sugars and saturated fat – but have decreased their consumption in fruits and vegetables.
This opinion article was originally featured in PantherNOW and how the Western diet can lead to negative health consequences.
Check out the article’s excerpt below and click the link if you want to read the full story!
_______________________
Maytinee Kramer/Contributing Writer
The developing world is seeing rapid urbanization along with a transition in nutrition and lifestyle. More people have adopted a “western” diet consisting of red meat, refined sugars and saturated fat – but have decreased their consumption in fruits and vegetables. With higher income, people are now able to afford more, thus they have diets rich in meat and processed foods, which have little nutritional value and many empty calories. This this can lead to negative health consequences and increase risk of disease.
Humans are craving more fats and sweets, and under the convenience culture we have established for ourselves, we have easier access than ever to satisfy those cravings.
The “western” diet is one that is high in processed foods, with big features from overconsumption of refined sugars, sodium, saturated fats, animal protein and few plant-based fibers. Ian Myles from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases describes this diet as “a trend aided by the move towards a culture of fast food.”
_______________________
Photo Credit: Robin Stickel on Unsplash
Comments