A Lousy Diet Now Does More Total Harm at the Population Level Than Tobacco

Unpacking a major dietary risks study and how it applies in a post-Covid world

“Our findings show that sub-optimal diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risks globally, including tobacco smoking.” It’s the launch point for Mark revisiting the findings of this study, “Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017,” with Dr. David Katz, founding director of The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center; founder/president of True Health Initiative; and the founder/CEO of DietID.

The conversation about global diet between Bittman and Katz — who teamed up to write How To Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered — addresses specific components of diet and their effects on mortality. High intake of sodium is number one, followed by inadequate intake of whole grains, and inadequate intake of fruit.