Of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, four conditions are directly related to nutrition (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancers are examples of chronic disease that are closely linked to nutrition.
Heart Disease
Heart disease, otherwise known as cardiovascular disease, claims the lives of nearly 1 million people per year (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Atherosclerosis is the root of heart disease, and is defined as the "hardening of the arteries" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 413). Atherosclerosis begins "with the accumulation of soft, fatty streaks along the inner walls of the arteries, especially at branch points" and they "gradually enlarge and become hardened fibrous plaques that damage artery walls and make them inelastic, narrowing the passageway for blood to travel through them" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 413).Understanding the risks associated with heart disease is essential to prevent the negative factors that lead to potential complications. For example, cholesterol is strongly connected to a person developing atherosclerosis, which eventually leads to cardiovascular disease; an individual should lower intakes of bad cholesterol items and increase intake of good cholesterol options. Foods that are high in saturated and trans fat have high cholesterol and increase the risk for heart disease. On the other hand, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have good cholesterol and lower the risk for heart disease.
In addition to improving nutrition in the diet, physical activity is very important in lowering the risk for heart disease. Physical exercise strengthens the muscles within the body, including heart muscles, and "stimulates the development of new arteries to nourish the heart muscle, which may be a factor in the excellent recovery seen in some heart attack victims who exercise" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 418).
Stroke
Hypertension contributes to a half a million strokes per year and currently affects 65 million adults, and the number is steadily rising (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Hypertension, or high blood pressure, has no symptoms you can feel, so checking blood pressure regularly can help an individual understand if they suffer from it or not. Like the other chronic diseases, hypertension is closely related to nutrition. Salt intake directly affects blood pressure, and an individual can decrease blood pressure by lowering their salt intake. Furthermore, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C all help regulate blood pressure. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of these essential nutrients and should be included in an individuals diet to reduce the risk of hypertension which can ultimately lead to stroke.Smoking and alcohol consumption are also huge risk factors associated with stroke. Smoking constricts arteries and deprives the heart from oxygen, and the toxins within the smoke damage the linings of the arteries. Alcohol consumption is also a huge risk factor for strokes, even in individuals without hypertension (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Recent research has showed that stroke incidents and associated deaths have been rising, especially in developing countries (Patra et al., 2010). Recent projections suggest that without intervention, the number of strokes will rise to 6.5 million deaths annually by 2015, and to 7.8 million deaths annually by 2030 (Patra et al., 2010). Although it is well accepted that heavy alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke; even moderate amounts of alcohol consumption have been recently reported in raising the risk associated with all types of stroke (Patra et al., 2010).
Diabetes
Diabetes currently affects 24 million people in the United States, and is growing rapidly in adults and even affecting children (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Diabetes is a risk factor that is associated with all forms of cardiovascular disease (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). When an individual has diabetes, atherosclerosis progresses rapidly, "blocking blood vessels and diminishing circulation" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 418). For a person with diabetes, the risk for a future heart attack is 2-4 times higher than a person without diabetes, and most people fail to realize that the loss of blood glucose associated with diabetes creates severe complications and threat for all forms of cardiovascular disease (Sizer & Whitney, 2012).The common forms of diabetes are type 1 and type 2, which are both disorders of blood glucose regulation (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Chronic elevated blood glucose in diabetes "alters the metabolism in virtually every cell of the body" and can have serious health complications, such as liver failure and blindness (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 130). Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas, and individuals diagnosed with this type of diabetes must depend on external sources of insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when "body tissues lose their sensitivity to insulin" and is usually the result of obesity (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 132).
For an individual who is already diagnosed with diabetes, controlling the amount of carbohydrates is key in maintaining a healthy level of blood glucose. Preventing type 2 diabetes depends on the lifestyle choices that an individual makes; people should seek to maintain a healthy body weight and consume a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, and whole grains.
Cancer
Cancer ranks second to heart disease as a leading cause of death and disability in the United States (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Although there are many treatment options available today, prevention is by far the more optimal choice. An estimated 30-40 percent of cancers are influenced by diet and environmental factors and remains the topic of recent cancer research. Foods have the ability to cause cancer, promote cancer, and protect against cancer; the more information that is available the better than individuals can prevent the development of cancer (Sizer & Whitney, 2012).Cancer is closely related to calorie intake; when calorie intake is reduced, cancer rates fall (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Obesity is an increased risk factor in postmenopausal woman because fat tissue carries increased amounts of estrogen; the extended exposure to estrogen that obese women experience after menopause greatly increases the risk of cancer (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Alcohol consumption increases the risk for cancer, and is especially higher for women. The consumption of red meat is associated with colon cancer and high fat intake can also increase the risks associated with cancer.
In order to prevent cancer, eating a diet that is balanced with a high variety of fruits and vegetables is key; for example, a diet that has the appropriate levels of fiber can greatly reduce the risk of colon cancer (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Whole foods are essential in the prevention of cancer; "fruits and vegetables contain a wide spectrum of nutrients and phytochemicals that may prevent or reduce oxidative damage to cell structures, including DNA" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 434).
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is another life-threatening condition as a result of a poor diet. The most common form of malnutrition is protein-energy malnutrition which results when an individual does not have enough protein or calories in their diet (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). There are other types of malnutrition that relate to a deficiency of specific vitamins and minerals; for example, anemia occurs when there is not sufficient iron in the diet and someone who is deficient in iodine will experience swelling of the thyroid. The immune system is supported by vitamin A and zinc, and cherries help control diabetes by lowering insulin.References:
Patra, J., Taylor, B., Irving, H., Roerecke, M., Baliunas, D., Mohapatra, S., & Rehm, J. (2010). Alcohol consumption and the risk of morbidity and mortality for different stroke types -- a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 10258-269.
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2012). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate Update (12th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
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