Diets and nutritional content of our foods has changed due to the industrial revolution and subsequent advancements in animal husbandry and agriculture.
Improvement’s food processing technologies have also allowed individuals to combine food types and nutrients in novel ways.
Preagricultural diets of individuals were completely devoid of foods such as cereals, refined oils and sugars, alcohol and dairy products, which are presently a major component of Western diets.
Large number of processed foods such as breakfast cereals, baked goods rich in sugar and snacks, which are modernly included in the Western diets.
There is an increase in epidemiological problems such as, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to the shift in dietary patterns. The risk of osteoporosis increases among postmenopausal women and cancer-related mortality is due to unhealthy diets.
Western diet mostly consists of soft drinks, fast food products and processed foods that are nutrient-poor and energy dense. Large amount of red and processed meat contains in this diet, which have been linked to an increased risk of CVD and colorectal cancer.
Due to the change in nutrient availability, the Western diet has been shown to alter epigenetics and gene expression, transcription factors, hormonal levels, as well as inter-and transgenerational effects. Western diet also modifies the gut microbiome, which makes a change in microbiome gene expression and affects immune and inflammatory responses.
High-fat diets such as the Western diet result in negative lipid profiles which a rise in the low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) levels and decline in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, thereby leading to endothelial dysfunction.
People should replace the high fat and sugar products, which is found in Western diet, with legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables and whole grains may reduce low-grade inflammation and help to prevent the development of CVD.
To Western diet adherence, income and education levels can be directly connected. Mostly people who have poor dietary habits due to low income, and as a result it leads to high risk of chronic diseases like CVD, type 2 diabetes and obesity
The surrounding food environment is also crucial in determining dietary choices, as people residing in food deserts with limited intake in fruits and vegetables are also at a high risk of poor health outcomes as compared to people who live in areas where there is more access to healthy food options.
