Research
Macro partitioning
High sodium intake, low whole grain intake, and low fruit intake are the three largest contributors to diet-related deaths and disability-adjusted life years globally.
Prioritize reducing sodium, increasing whole grains, and increasing fruit intake as the top three dietary changes for global health impact. Be mindful of regional dietary patterns, such as high refined carbohydrate intake in Asian diets, when making these swaps.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
more than half of all diet-related deaths and two-thirds of diet-related DALYs were attributable to just three factors: high intake of sodium, low intake of whole grains, and low intake of fruit.
Why this rating
Based on GBD 2017 data, though authors note heterogeneity in associations (e.g., fish/omega-3).
Source
Global diet and health: old questions, fresh evidence, and new horizons
Nita G. Forouhi et al. · The Lancet · 2019
DOI 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)30500-8
narrative_reviewCited 76×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Global dietary patterns are suboptimal, with high intake of sodium, processed/red meat, and sugary beverages, and low intake of nuts, seeds, milk, and whole grains, contributing to 11 million deaths and 255 million DALYs annually.Good
- Shifting from nutrient-based to food-based dietary guidelines is supported by evidence that promotes predominantly plant-based diets for sustainable and healthy food systems.Good
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