Processed meats increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer.
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Diet can influence your health and longevity. Just as a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of disease and live a longer life. There are some foods that make you age faster and also contribute to a shorter life.
1. Alcohol
The World Health Organization notes that alcohol use causes death and disability relatively early in life. In the age group 20 to 39 years, approximately 13.5% of all deaths are attributable to alcohol.
High alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 illnesses and injuries, according to the WHO. Even moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of different types of cancer, including colorectal and breast cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2011 and 2015, binge drinking was responsible for 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults ages 20 to 64 in the United States.
2. Processed meats
Processed meats can increase the risk of chronic diseases and premature death. A global study led by Hamilton scientists found that consuming 150 grams or more of processed meat per week was associated with a 46% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a 51% higher risk of premature death than those who did not consume processed foods.
Processed meat, such as bacon, cold cuts, hot dogs, and deli meats, is considered a carcinogen for humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Each 50 gram serving of processed meat consumed per day increases risk of colorectal cancerl by 18%. “This risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” published in 2015 by the World Health Organization.
3. Foods and drinks rich in added sugar
Eating and drinking a lot of added sugar can seriously affect your health and decrease your life span. High consumption of added sugar not only favors obesity, the American Heart Association notes that it is also linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, inflammation in the body and increased risk of heart disease.
A high-sugar diet can increase your risk of dying from heart diseaseeven if you are not overweight; this according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014.
Sugary drinks are the largest source of calories and added sugars in the American diet.
4. Ultra-processed foods
Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed foods increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular death, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Ultra-processed foods include baked goods, packaged snacks, sodas, sugary cereals, prepared meals containing food additives, and processed meat; products that often contain high levels of added sugar, fat, and salt, but lack vitamins and fiber.
5. Fried foods
Consuming fried foods regularly can increase a person’s risk of death from multiple causes, such as heart problems, according to a study published in The BMJ in 2019.
The researchers found that participants who reported eating at least one serving of fried food per day had an 8% higher risk of death than those who did not eat fried. They found that one serving of fried chicken per day led to a 12% higher risk of death related to heart problems.
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