Western diet disease association

The development of these chronic. Western-type diseases is associated with an excessive formation and function of eicosanoids derived from n-6 fatty acids. As balance can be restored to eicosanoid biosynthesis by dietary n-3 fatty acids, an effective strategy to diminish cardio-cerebrovascular mortality (in addition to several other serious disorders) may be to decrease the intake of n-6 fatty acids and replace them with n-3 fatty acids (116). Such a strategy is supported by studies that show an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases, specifically ischemic heart disease, in Japanese whose diet has increasingly become more Westernized (113, 117). 

Adlercreutz, H., Western diet and Western diseases Some hormonal and biochemical mechanisms and associations, Scand. J. Clin. Invest. Suppl., 201, 3, 1990. 

High saturated fat diets are well associated with obesity prevalenee and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Reducing saturated fats from the diet is recommended to eliminate Western diet-induced health problems. 

Obviously the relevance of the nutrient content of individual foods relates to their place in the diet as a whole. We may briefly consider the Western diet, which is not synonymous with that of developed countries in general, such as Japan and some bordering the Mediterranean. The chronic degenerative diseases associated with the Western diet are relatively rare in many developed countries and are almost unknown in peoples as different as on the one hand the carnivorous Eskimos (with the highest intake of fat and meat in the world and the lowest intake of dietary fibre) and on the other the mainly vegetarian Hunzas. These Western diseases include ischaemic heart disease, certain forms of cancer (lung, colon, breast). 

Breast Cancer. Many studies have observed low incidences of hormone-dependent cancers, particularly breast cancer, in Asian countries compared with Western countries and it is becoming increasingly accepted that dietary factors play an important role. Although breast cancer can occur in either males or females, only about 1 % of all cases occur in men, and male breast cancer is a rare disease in all parts of the world." Although there appear to be some similar risk factors for breast cancer in males and females, there is no indication in the literature that diet is either a risk or a protective factor for male breast cancer. The development of breast cancer is known to be highly dependent on the hormones associated with female reproductive functions, while established genetic factors have been... 

In the past half a century, scientists and public health officials have gradually come to realize that the two leading causes of mortality in Western nations, heart disease and cancer, are associated to a certain though unknown extent with life style, including dietary factors. This association is somewhat better established for coronary artery disease than it is for cancer. Based on current knowledge, many organizations have offered dietary advice to the public (1-9). However, the scientific community has reached no clear consensus about the nature of the association between diet and chronic diseases and the extent to which dietary modification can decrease the risk, especially cancer risk (5 6 10 U). 

An abundance of food has obvious consequences it promotes our specific appetites. Lipids account for about 40% of the calories ingested in Western countries, whereas nutritional recommendations are 5-10% lower. This excessive lipid intake, associated with a qualitative imbalance (excess of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, too high to6/to3 ratio) strongly favours the development of obesity and associated diseases (atherosclerosis, non insulin-dependent diabetes, hypertension, cancer). This attraction to fatty foods is not specific to humans. Rats and mice spontaneously prefer lipid-rich foods if provided with a free choice (Tsuruta et al. 1999 Takeda et al. 2000). This attraction to lipids is so strong that mice given free access to an oil as an optional diet rapidly become obese (Takeda et al. 2001a). The origin of this preference for lipids remains unclear. 

Recent research also indicates an association between tomato consumption (fresh and processed) and protection against cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease (CHD) has a high prevalence in western countries and is increasing in Asian countries due to changes in socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle, and diet. The link between LDL oxidation and atherosclerosis is hypothesized to be the basis for a beneficial effect of antioxidants in general on the incidence of subclinical and clinical CHD. 

Western style diet or low adherence to Mediterranean diet increases risk of chronic human disease and is associated with aberrant microbiota profiles and harmful microbial activities, e.g., TMA, TMAO, leaky gut. Inflammation, BCFA, genotoxins, carcinogens. 

Diets low in non-starch polysaccharides are associated with the excretion of a small bulk of faeces, and frequently with constipation and straining while defecating. This has been linked with the development of haemorrhoids, varicose veins and diverticular disease of the colon. These diseases are commoner in Western countries, where people generally have a relatively low intake of non-starch polysaccharide, than in parts of the world where the intake is higher. 

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