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Global impacts of Western diet and its effects on metabolism and health: A narrative review
High intake of processed foods, refined grains, red and processed meats, sugary drinks, sweets, fried meals, conventionally produced animal products, high-fat dairy, and high-fructose foods characterize the Western diet, a contemporary eating pattern. The purpose of this review by Clemente-Suárez et al. (2023) is to examine how the Western diet affects metabolism, inflammation, and antioxidant levels; how it affects gut microbiota and mitochondrial health; how it affects cardiovascular and mental health; how it is linked to cancer; and how much this dietary pattern costs the public’s health. To accomplish these goals, a thorough study was carried out utilizing primary sources, such as scientific publications, and secondary sources, such as bibliographic databases, indexes, and websites. The study used the Web of Science, Sports Discuss, Embase, Science Direct, ResearchGate, and Scopus databases. The search was conducted using keywords like “Western diet,” “inflammation,” “metabolic health,” “metabolic fitness,” “cancer,” “heart disease,” “oxidative stress,” “mental health,” and “metabolism.” Studies were excluded based on two criteria: (i) irrelevant or inappropriate topics not directly related to the review’s main focus, and (ii) conference proceedings, Ph.D. dissertations, and unpublished studies. Findings showed that fruits, vegetables, fiber, and complex carbohydrates combat metabolic disorders and cancer, reduce inflammatory processes, improve mental health, increase beneficial bacteria in the gut, enhance mitochondrial function, and boost the immune system. This information aims to provide a deeper understanding of how the Western diet affects individual metabolism and health and the consequences for national healthcare systems. Practical recommendations based on these findings are also included. [NPID: Inflammation, cardiovascular disease, mental disease, metabolic disease, cancer, microbiota, nutrition, physical activity]
Year: 2023
