Report Sheds Light On Disturbing Global Dietary Trends

A British study assessing diet quality in 187 countries found that high-income countries had the biggest improvement in diet quality (i.e., more fruits and vegetables) between 1990 and 2010. But the highest scores for healthful foods were found in several low-income countries (e.g., Chad and Mali) and Mediterranean nations (e.g., Turkey and Greece), perhaps because of the more healthful Mediterranean diet. Unfortunately, dietary improvements have been outpaced by the increased intake of unhealthy foods, including unprocessed meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened drinks, saturated fat, trans fat, dietary cholesterol, and sodium in most world regions. Unless countries act to change the situation, “undernutrition” will be superseded by obesity and non-communicable diseases, “as is already being seen in India, China, and other middle-income countries”.