One In Five Deaths Due To Poor Nutrition

A diet that includes few wholegrain cereals, vegetables, fruit and lots of salt is one of the biggest causes of death worldwide.
This is evident from the large-scale and continuous Global Burden of Disease study, which collects data on health from every country in the world. A number of different papers have been published in the scientific journal The Lancet with conclusions about the average life expectancy and the most common risk factors for death and illness.

A bad diet after smoking is the biggest risk factor for death, according to the research. In addition, other risk factors, including diabetes and high blood pressure, are related to a poor diet. 72 percent of deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases, with overweight being one of the biggest risk factors.

Life expectancy
The research also shows that people on average live longer. In 2016, life expectancy for women was 75.3 years and men were seen to be 69.8 years old on average worldwide. In Japan, people are the oldest on average, people in this country reach an average age of 84 years. In the Central African Republic life expectancy is the least high at 50 years.

People are on average longer (seriously) ill, with the disease often related to overweight. Depression is also common in almost all countries.

In addition, fewer than five million children under the age of five died in 2016 for the first time. In 1990 there were still eleven million. Vaccinations, less poverty and improved water supplies have contributed to this.