Lecture Notes on Nutrition and Health

Introduction

• Speaker is a cardiologist and dean of a graduate school in nutrition science.
• Focus on how nutrition plays a crucial role in health, particularly in treating cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, etc.
• All research funded by federal and nonprofit agencies.
• Importance of food in health care and its economic, environmental, and national security implications.

Global Nutrition Crisis

• Poor eating is the leading cause of poor health, surpassing tobacco smoking.
• Chronic diseases are largely linked to poor nutrition.
• Affects health care spending significantly.
• Rising health care premiums are a major concern for businesses.
• Food is crucial for sustainability and climate change; 30% of climate change emissions are from food/agriculture.
• National security ties to nutrition; historical context with RDAs and school lunch programs.

Health Care and Nutrition

• U.S. faces high costs due to expensive procedures and a sick population.
• Almost half of U.S. adults have diabetes or prediabetes.
• High rates of cardiovascular disease and obesity.
• Longevity has declined in the U.S.
• Economic impact: unsustainable federal health care spending.
• Public, especially millennials, are aware of food's impact on health, but are confused about nutritional guidance.

Nutrition Science and Policy

• Nutrition science is young, beginning in the 1930s.
• Early focus was on vitamin deficiencies due to historical events like the Great Depression and World War II.
• Shift to chronic diseases in 1980.
• Current policies are outdated; focus still on nutrient-based rather than holistic approaches.
• Calls for a national focus on protective foods rather than reductionist approaches.

Scientific Findings

• Low-fat diets don't necessarily reduce disease risk; focus should be on protective foods.
• Calories are not a reliable metric for long-term obesity risk.
• Different foods have varying impacts on long-term weight gain.

Protective Foods and Health

• Increase intake of nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and yogurt.
• Avoid refined grains, starches, and sugars.
• Cheese and yogurt might lower diabetes risk.
• Importance of focusing on overall food quality rather than individual nutrients.

Policy Recommendations

• Need for systemic changes over mere education.
• Establishment of a National Institute of Nutrition.
• Integrating nutrition into electronic health records.
• Implementing healthy food prescriptions and medically tailored meals.

Business and Innovation

• Millennials driving change towards health and sustainability.
• Businesses are beginning to recognize and act on the health implications of their products.