Research
Different approaches to food
Globally, healthy eating has many variations and different cultures offer unique approaches to food. In terms of healthy eating, perspectives were compared between Chinese and American students to see what their views on what makes a healthy diet were. The Chinese students surveyed stressed the importance of timing off eating, greater intake of food during the day and nights, and regular meals, resulting in better physical performance and better immunity. American students focused on having a balanced diet from different categories of food, and emphasized the importance of exercise. Both groups agreed that high quantities of salt, sugar, and fat should be avoided.
Famous British chef Jamie Oliver believes that healthy eating is essential in life. "The statistics of diet-related death — diabetes and obesity — are really shocking," he says. “Fizzy drinks are delicious! As are snacking foods, but they should not be used as forms of H2O or substitutes for food; they should be treats.” In 2004, Jamie Oliver also started a campaign and online petition called Feed Me Better, which aims to improve the quality of school lunches in the UK.
Greek Cuisine
Globally, Greek food is claimed to be the healthiest. Since the country is located on the coast of Europe, they follow the Mediterranean cuisine and their diet incorporates lots of yoghurt, fresh fruits, olive oil, vegetables, nuts, and not much meat except fish, all foods rich in vitamins. In terms of calorie intake, Greek food is relatively low in calories, with most starters and sauces ranging from 50-200 calories, and main dishes ranging from 300-700 calories.
Japanese Cuisine
Japanese food is the second healthiest because they prepare lots of fresh vegetables and seafood, and use healthy methods of preparation such as steaming, light stir fry, or simply serving raw dishes. In terms of women aged over 7 years, the average calorific intake of Japanese women daily ranged from 1587-1820. As of 2013, Japanese people also had the highest life expectancy in the world due to their healthy diet.
Consequences of unhealthy diets - America
in America, The number of Americans who are obese is 78,100,000. 75% of Americans claim that why eat healthily while research has shown more than 80% of Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. In 2016, about 530,000 deaths were caused by unhealthy diets, and over 73,000 have lower limb amputations as a consequence of diabetes. Half the number of deaths in the US are a result of unhealthy eating. Over 67.5% of American adults are obese or overweight and the numbers have tripled over the last few decades.
According to research, the world's unhealthiest country is South Africa. In the GDP spectrum, as of 2019, South Africa scored a total of 0.28, with 0 being very bad and 1 being good. The life expectancy of South Africans is only 63.6 years, as people have a 26% chance of dying of diet related diseases by age 70. The country is currently facing high obesity rates and nutrient deficiency, as 45% of South Africans aren't getting the nutrients they need in their diets.