Poor Diet Responsible for Significant Healthcare Costs

A study by Tufts’ researchers and others as part of the Food Policy Review and Intervention Cost-Effectiveness (Food-PRICE) project published recently in the journal PLOS Medicine found that suboptimal diet accounts for 18.2 percent of all ischemic heart, stroke, and type 2 diabetes costs in the United States. The study authors looked at the impact of 10 dietary factors on health. They then calculated how much it costs to treat the health problems caused by these factors, including drug and hospitalization costs. These cardiometabolic diseases cost an average of $301 per person per year in the U.S. The researchers calculated that the largest annual per person costs are attributed to low consumption of nuts/seeds ($81) and seafood omega-3 fats ($76), and the lowest are attributed to high consumption of red meat ($3) and polyunsaturated fats ($20). Diet policies to address the health burden of cardiometabolic diseases would also help to relieve this economic burden. For individuals, taking steps to consume more nuts/seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood omega-3 fats, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (from foods like non-tropical plant oils), and less red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sodium could be a money-saver—and a life-saver.