One in five deaths worldwide linked to unhealthy diet

Eleven million deaths worldwide in 2017 were linked to people eating poor diets high in sugar, salt and processed meat that contributed to heart disease, cancer and diabetes, a global study found.

The study found people ate only 12 percent of the recommended amount of nuts and seeds - an average intake of 3 grams a day, compared with the recommended 21 g - and drank more than 10 times the recommended amount of sugary drinks.

Diets high in sugar, salt and bad fats are known risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many types of cancer.

In a breakdown of diet-related deaths, the study found that of the 11 million in 2017, almost 10 million were from cardiovascular diseases, around 913,000 from cancer, and almost 339,000 from type 2 diabetes.

Annual deaths related to diet have increased from 8 million in 1990, but the researchers said this was largely due to increases in populations and populations aging.

(REUTERS)