If we really followed the diet born in our country we would be much more protected, especially from tumours, however the consumption of ultra-processed foods is on the increase. These are the consequences
In countries such as the United States, Canada and Great Britain, ultra-processed foods represent today 50 percent (or more) of the calories consumed. «In Italy the percentage is around 15-18. In times of globalization, even here these values, however, are destined to grow, involving a greater risk of increase in obesity (as reported on Obesity Reviews) and various chronic diseasesnow typical of the western world, for example cardiovascular or metabolic ones, according to what emerges from a review published in the scientific journal Nutrition Journal», explains Licia Iacoviello, director of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention of the Irccs Neuromed of Pozzilli and professor of Hygiene and Public Health at the University of Insubria, Varese-Como.
The risks
In short, a good quality of life, accompanied by an efficient functioning of the immune system which defends us from disease, begins at the table. Scientific literature suggests that the best diet, which has always been protective, is precisely that mediterranean and it is surprising, for example, when the MOLI-SANI epidemiological survey shows that relatively few inhabitants of Molise follow it completely. This figure should be considered together with the worrying increase in overweight (and obesity) among children in Italy. «Do you think that the 30 percent risk of getting cancer it can depend on the incorrect choices made when eating – observes the expert -: excess of saturated fats, simple sugars (including those “hidden” in unsuspected foods such as bread), processed foods (such as cured meats and sausages). The true Mediterranean diet is one in which fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, dried fruit, fatty fish or oily fish, such as mackerel, abound. When I speak of “integral” I mean the authentic cereal, not the refined one to which the fiber is added in a subsequent processing».
The advices
«Let’s learn to read the ingredients list – advises Licia Iacoviello again -: the more it is short, at most 3-5 voices, the more the product is of quality and preserves our health. One of the strengths of the Mediterranean diet identified to date is the presence of antioxidants, such as the anthocyanins of orange-red fruit and vegetables, and anti-inflammatory substances typical of fish. But the Mediterranean diet doesn’t just mean food, it also means a lifestyle that includes more social aspects: the pleasure of cooking, being in company at the table and choosing seasonal foods. Finally, as far as research is concerned, the challenge is to understand how nutrition can be considered a real prevention intervention not on a single disease, but on several pathologies. This is why it is important to identify the common causes of different diseases, such as chronic inflammation. Another promising research front is epigenetics, i.e. studying how food can change the response of DNA to environmental exposure”.
January 22, 2023 (change January 22, 2023 | 1:23 pm)
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