According to the CDC, sixty percent of adults in the United States are now living with one or more chronic diseases. These diseases include cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Heart disease and cancer are also the two leading causes of death in the US in 2019. Furthermore, a recent report assessed that approximately half of all deaths from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes in the US could be due to unhealthy diets.

One of the best ways for people to improve their health is through a better diet and eating nutritious foods, which is why it is important for people to follow current dietary guidelines. Based on the majority of feedback, it seems like the main changes in diet that need to be made deal with eating less processed meat, less added sugar, and more fruits and vegetables.

Specifically, cutting down the amount of processed meat that is consumed has been shown in studies to decrease chances of cancer and heart disease, while consuming less added sugar cuts down on chances of type 2 diabetes. Although diabetes may not necessarily be a killer, it is also associated with obesity, stroke, high blood pressure, eyesight issues, and other health issues. Finally, eating more fruits and vegetables (especially those that are organic and unprocessed) cuts down on heart disease, cancer risks, and obesity. So, in the end, following the recommended dietary guidelines can literally save your life—or at least add years to it.

Works Cited

"Chronic Diseases In America." Centers For Disease Control, 2019.

"Delivering on the Dietary Guidelines." Union of Concerned Scientists, 2019, https://ucsusa.org/food-agriculture/delivering-on-dietary-guidelines.

Micha, Renata et al. "Association Between Dietary Factors and Mortality from Heart Disease, Stroke, and Type 2 Diabetes in the United States." JAMA, vol 317, no. 9, 2017, p. 912. American Medical Association (AMA), doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0947.