New Delhi, Less-than-optimal diets, such as one being low on whole grains or high on sodium, may have caused over four million deaths worldwide from ischaemic heart disease in 2023, according to an analysis.
Ischaemic heart disease, or coronary artery disease, is a condition in which flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle is reduced because plaque build-up narrows coronary arteries.
Researchers, including those from the US’ Massachusetts General Hospital and Kyung Hee University in South Korea, analysed data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (2023), a comprehensive database of health loss across places — in 204 countries and territories — over time.
“In 2023, a suboptimal diet was responsible for 4.06 million IHD (ischaemic heart disease) deaths,” the authors wrote in the study published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Compared to 1990, the number of global diet-related ischaemic heart disease deaths increased by 41.59 per cent in 2023, the team found.
However, the age-standardised death rate attributable to dietary risks decreased by nearly 44 per cent between 1990-2023, from 80.62 per 100,000 population to 45.22 per 100,000 population, suggesting population growth and health improvements, they said.
“Among dietary factors, low intake of nuts and seeds (9.87 deaths per 100,000 population), low whole grains (9.22), low fruits (7.25) and high sodium (7.15) were primary contributors to IHD deaths,” they said.
The study identified the portion of ischaemic heart disease burden directly modifiable through food interventions, the team added.
The burden due to ischaemic heart disease attributable to sub-optimal diets was found to be particularly pronounced in countries with a low or middle-sociodemographic index, which had a prominent burden due to an inadequate intake of protective dietary components.
However, countries with a higher sociodemographic index exhibited a notable trend of burden from ischaemic heart disease resulting from an excessive consumption of potentially harmful dietary factors, such as processed meats and sugary drinks, the study said.
Individuals aged 65 and above had notably higher death rates, compared to those aged 45 and under.
Further, the authors said that most regions showed a decline in ischaemic heart disease burden due to a less-than-optimal diet over time, except Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and South Asia.
