In a study published within the journal PharmaNutrition, scientists have explored the long-term impact of Western food plan and lifestyle aspects on the chance of metabolic disease in the US.
Study: Trends in nutrition, lifestyle, and metabolic disease in the US from 1900 onwards. Image Credit: nobeastsofierce / Shutterstock
Background
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is sharply increasing worldwide. The disease is characterised by high blood glucose (hyperglycemia), abnormal lipid profile (dyslipidemia), hypertension (hypertension), and huge waist circumference (central obesity). Individuals with metabolic syndrome are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
Besides genetic risk aspects, poor food plan and lack of physical activity are the most important causes of metabolic syndrome. Excessive intake of high-calorie foods can trigger the onset of this disease by inducing insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and hormone secretion. Evidence shows that food plan, exercise, and body mass index (BMI) can trigger metabolic syndrome by altering gut microbiota composition and performance.
On this epidemiological study, scientists have evaluated the trends in food plan, lifestyle, and metabolic disease in the US from 1900 onwards.
Study design
The knowledge on dietary composition and lifestyle aspects for adult US residents was collected from published literature and publicly available sources.
Regarding dietary composition, day by day intake of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and added sugar was analyzed. Regarding lifestyle aspects, percentages of life expectancy, urbanization (proportion of US adults residing in urban regions), and exercise (proportion of US adults performing 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week) were analyzed.
Regarding the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, the proportion of US adults having a minimum of three of the most important symptoms of the disease (hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and central obesity) was analyzed. Since metabolic syndrome is developed through a gradual accumulation of symptoms over time, life expectancy was included within the evaluation as a proxy for aging.
To calculate the prevalence until 1950, when the term “metabolic syndrome” was not coined, data on related metabolic conditions, including obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes, were included within the evaluation.
Necessary observations
The study findings revealed a major increase within the intake of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and added sugar between 1900 and 2020. Specifically, the intake of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and added sugar increased by 114%, 116%, 151%, and 343% in 2020, respectively.
An identical increase in lifestyle aspects, including urbanization, exercise, and life expectancy, was noticed over time. Urbanization increased from 40% in 1900 to almost 80% in 2020. Similarly, the common life expectancy increased from 48 years in 1900 to 79 years in 2020.
A rise in exercise frequency was observed only within the 21st century. The proportion of US adults meeting the US guidelines for exercise increased from 15% in 2000 to 23% in 2020.
Considering the present day by day beneficial intake of macronutrients within the US, the findings revealed that the intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat remained higher than the beneficial values throughout the study period (1900 – 2020). The intake of added sugar was below the beneficial value in 1900. Nonetheless, the intake increased by 2.5 times over the beneficial value in 2020.
Comparison between nutrient intake and metabolic disease prevalence
The intake of macronutrients showed a declining or stabilized pattern in recent times (2000 – 2022). Nonetheless, a pointy increase within the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes was observed throughout the study years. In 2020, the prevalence of metabolic conditions was estimated to be 38%, 52%, and 37%, respectively.
The correlation evaluation between studied variables indicated that obesity is just not related to the intake of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and added sugar. In contrast, a major association was observed between the intake of macronutrients and added sugar and the prevalence of diabetes. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome showed no significant association with protein intake.
While life expectancy showed significant associations with all three metabolic conditions, exercise was found to be related to metabolic syndrome and obesity.
Study significance
The study finds no significant association between nutrient intake and the prevalence of metabolic disease in the US, aside from diabetes, which shows preliminary correlations with macronutrient and added sugar intake.
In comparison with the rise in macronutrients and added sugar intake, a much higher induction in metabolic disease prevalence has been noticed between 1900 and 2020. The scientists suggest that an amplifying factor is likely to be involved within the dose-response relationship between food plan and metabolic disease.
The study also finds some associations between life expectancy and exercise with metabolic disease prevalence. Given the consequences of those aspects on gut microbiota composition, scientists recommend that future studies investigate to what extent these external aspects can influence the event of metabolic disease.