Just a few weeks after a major study showed that healthy food “prescriptions,” (including lots of fruits and veggies, of course!) could save $100 billion in healthcare costs and prevent 620,000 premature deaths, a new study  quantifies the dangers of unhealthy eating. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Lancet,  found that eating and drinking better could prevent one in five deaths around the world.

According to the study, the biggest problem is not the “junk” we eat but the nutritious food we don’t eat. “Eating too few fruits and vegetables and too much sodium accounted for half of all deaths and two-thirds of the years of disability attributable to diet,” according to the study.

“Our findings show that suboptimal diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risks globally, including tobacco smoking, highlighting the urgent need for improving human diet across nations,” the study authors stated.

Based upon these findings, the researchers are calling for a global shift in policy to promote vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes.

The findings from both studies, which strongly illustrate the nutrient-packed power of a diet rich in fruits and veggies, are why the Alliance for Food and Farming works aggressively to counter misinformation spread by tactics like the release of the “dirty dozen” list, which has been shown to potentially discourage purchasing of any fruits and veggies – organic or conventionally grown.

We reiterate that groups, like the “dirty dozen” list authors, that want to promote one growing method over another should abandon tactics that create safety fears about produce and adopt positive messaging to encourage consumption.  As these two new studies beautifully show, it is time to reassure consumers that choosing to eat more organic and conventionally grown fruits and veggies is always the right choice for better health and a longer life.

Photo Credit:  Infofit