Improving diet quality over time linked with reduced risk of premature death.

According to a study from Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, improving diet quality over time was linked to reduced risk of premature death. The article talks about improving the quality of diets such as eating more whole grains, vegetables/fruits, nuts and fish and consuming less red and processed meats as well as less sugary beverages may significantly reduce their risk of premature death. Some of the diets mentioned in the research that are beneficial to health are the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet.

“The study found that improved diet quality over a 12-year period was associated with reduced risk of death in the subsequent 12 years. Food groups that contributed most to an improvement in diet quality were whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish or n-3 fatty acids”.

The article also mentions that just by swapping out one serving of red or processed meat for one daily serving of nuts or legumes—there is an 8%-17% reduction in the risk of death.

The article is important to me as a consumer because it is nice to know that even though I have to make other health related changed my decision to stop eating meat was a step forward towards a healthier me. As a result of this study I would like to see more people consider minimizing de consumption of meats to become healthier.

Reference:

Improving diet quality over time linked with reduced risk of premature death.

(2017, July 12). Retrieved July 30, 2017, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/i…

Lissette Trueba,

Research in public health is essential for communities. A study which is open for enrollment and caught my attention, is Lithium for Suicidal Behavior in Mood Disorders. The Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development is sponsoring this study. Other studies have suggested that lithium, which is a drug used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and depression, might reduce suicides and attempts. In the VA, approximately 12,000 patients who suffer from these disorders survive suicide attempts, and 15% of them attempt suicide within a year. This study will be relatively large, including 1862 study participants, from 30 Veteran Affairs hospitals. Half of the participants will receive lithium, and half placebo. Neither participants nor doctors will know which participant is taking lithium versus placebo. The treatment will be administered for one year and after they will return to their usual care. There are many suicide attempts and this study aims to explore whether lithium may decrease the total number of suicide attempts or suicidal behavior. This specific study is specifically of Veterans of the USA Armed Forces. These participants will haver to sign informed consent and also must be registered in a VA Medical Center. All participants must have survived self directed violence or have been admitted in the last 6 months as an inpatient for suicide prevention. Veterans live through many experiences which some cannot survive, I believe this study has a lot of potential. Veterans are crucial to our community and they have served our country, this is why this research is so important (Katz, 2015). Through this research I hope that our community of Veterans can get the help they need, this may also be constructive towards helping others who also have suicidal tendencies. Personally, the thought of suicide frightens me, and above all puts me in the persons shoes. The agony and sadness one must feel in order to make this decision, only the people that attempt it can feel, but I do hope that this study which will be completed in 2019 can be a step in the right direction.

Katz, I. (2015, July 8). Lithium for Suicidal Behavior in Mood Disorders (Li ). Retrieved August 01, 2017, from https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT0192844…