processed meat

red meat

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• Higher-income countries exhibit better scores for healthy dietary components, such as fruit and whole grains, but worse scores for unhealthy components, such as red/processed meats and sodium, compared to lower-income countries.
• The Western diet is a contemporary eating pattern characterized by a 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.
• Higher education was generally linked to greater consumption of fruits, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, and plant oils, but not always to lower consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and red/processed meat.
• The consumption of red and processed meat, which are key features of the Western diet, is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer.
• To improve population health, policy measures should support increased intake of health-promoting foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds, while reducing the intake of unhealthy foods such as red meat, processed meat, and sugary beverages.
• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Globally, more educated individuals had lower AHEI scores (less favorable consumption levels) for red/processed meat (-0.6), sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.6), and nuts and legumes (-0.1).
• Diets globally continue to lack sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, while including excessive and sometimes rising amounts of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• Risks related to dietary composition in the 2021 Global Nutrition Report analysis included low intake of fruits (2.8 million deaths), whole grains (2.3 million), vegetables (1.7 million), legumes (1.5 million), nuts and seeds (1.0 million), and high intake of red meat (980,000), processed meat (880,000), and sugar-sweetened beverages (290,000).
• Across the world's 25 most populous countries in 2018, there was a 100-fold difference in sodium scores, a 90-fold difference in red/processed meat scores, and a 23-fold difference in sugar-sweetened beverage scores.
• In 2018, the highest global AHEI component scores for unhealthier items (indicating lowest or most favourable intakes) were for sugar-sweetened beverages (5.8) and red/processed meat (4.8).
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• South Asia exhibits relatively high diet diversity due to high consumption of whole grains and low intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and red/processed meat.
• A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats, while containing little to no red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and oils high in saturated fats.
• Red meat and processed meats are identified as the primary dietary contributors to the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Red/processed meat and sodium consumption have significantly increased over time in Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Imbalanced diets low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red and processed meat are responsible for one of the greatest health burdens globally and in most regions.
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).
• The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems established specific dietary recommendations for minimum intake of health-promoting foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains) and maximum intake of foods with detrimental health or environmental impacts (red meat, processed meat, dairy, fish).
• Global intake of red meat and processed meat increased by 2-3% between 2010 and 2018.
• The Western pattern diet is a modern dietary pattern originating in the industrialized West, characterized by high intakes of pre-packaged foods, refined grains, red and processed meat, high-sugar drinks, candy, sweets, fried foods, high-fat dairy products, eggs, potato products, and corn products like high-fructose corn syrup.
• A quarter of all deaths among adults globally are attributable to poor diets, defined as diets low in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• Respondents in North Hessia reported the least frequent intake of meats, including fish, white meats, red meats, and processed meats, compared to the other four CSTs.
• In 2018, the highest dietary pattern scores were identified in low-income countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by relatively low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and red/processed meats.
• The Global Nutrition Report 2021 analysis includes diet-disease associations for low intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, and whole grains, as well as for high intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.

sugar-sweetened beverages

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• In maritime settings, access to meat, processed meat, eggs, frozen and canned food items, sugary drinks, alcohol, and greasy and salty food is high, while consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals is lower than recommended dietary guidelines.
• The Western diet is a contemporary eating pattern characterized by a 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.
• Higher education was generally linked to greater consumption of fruits, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, and plant oils, but not always to lower consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and red/processed meat.
• To improve population health, policy measures should support increased intake of health-promoting foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds, while reducing the intake of unhealthy foods such as red meat, processed meat, and sugary beverages.
• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Globally, more educated individuals had lower AHEI scores (less favorable consumption levels) for red/processed meat (-0.6), sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.6), and nuts and legumes (-0.1).
• Diets globally continue to lack sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, while including excessive and sometimes rising amounts of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• Risks related to dietary composition in the 2021 Global Nutrition Report analysis included low intake of fruits (2.8 million deaths), whole grains (2.3 million), vegetables (1.7 million), legumes (1.5 million), nuts and seeds (1.0 million), and high intake of red meat (980,000), processed meat (880,000), and sugar-sweetened beverages (290,000).
• Across the world's 25 most populous countries in 2018, there was a 100-fold difference in sodium scores, a 90-fold difference in red/processed meat scores, and a 23-fold difference in sugar-sweetened beverage scores.
• In 2018, the highest global AHEI component scores for unhealthier items (indicating lowest or most favourable intakes) were for sugar-sweetened beverages (5.8) and red/processed meat (4.8).
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• The GDR Score assigns negative scores to the consumption of sodas/sugar-sweetened beverages, baked/grain-based sweets, other sweets, processed meat (double weight), unprocessed red meat, deep-fried foods, food from fast-food restaurants, instant noodles, and packaged salty snacks.
• South Asia exhibits relatively high diet diversity due to high consumption of whole grains and low intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and red/processed meat.
• A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats, while containing little to no red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and oils high in saturated fats.
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).
• A quarter of all deaths among adults globally are attributable to poor diets, defined as diets low in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• Dietary intake in maritime settings is characterized by high consumption of meat, processed meat, eggs, frozen and canned food, sugary drinks, alcohol, and greasy and salty foods, while consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals is lower than recommended.
• In 2018, the highest dietary pattern scores were identified in low-income countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by relatively low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and red/processed meats.
• The Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) and GDQS- metrics categorize food groups into healthy and unhealthy components, where items like processed meat, refined grains, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, juice, white roots/tubers, and deep-fried foods are considered unhealthy in excessive amounts.
• The Global Nutrition Report 2021 analysis includes diet-disease associations for low intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, and whole grains, as well as for high intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.

whole grains

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• Higher-income countries exhibit better scores for healthy dietary components, such as fruit and whole grains, but worse scores for unhealthy components, such as red/processed meats and sodium, compared to lower-income countries.
• Higher education was generally linked to greater consumption of fruits, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, and plant oils, but not always to lower consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and red/processed meat.
• To improve population health, policy measures should support increased intake of health-promoting foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds, while reducing the intake of unhealthy foods such as red meat, processed meat, and sugary beverages.
• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Diets globally continue to lack sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, while including excessive and sometimes rising amounts of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• Risks related to dietary composition in the 2021 Global Nutrition Report analysis included low intake of fruits (2.8 million deaths), whole grains (2.3 million), vegetables (1.7 million), legumes (1.5 million), nuts and seeds (1.0 million), and high intake of red meat (980,000), processed meat (880,000), and sugar-sweetened beverages (290,000).
• The Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) scores dietary intake based on eleven components: fruits and vegetables (≥ 400g), beans and other legumes (> 0g), nuts and seeds (> 0g), whole grains (> 0g), dietary fiber (> 25g), total fat (< 30% total energy), saturated fat (< 10% total energy), dietary sodium (< 2g), free sugars (< 10% total energy), processed meat (0g), and unprocessed red meat (≤ 71g).
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• South Asia exhibits relatively high diet diversity due to high consumption of whole grains and low intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and red/processed meat.
• A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats, while containing little to no red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and oils high in saturated fats.
• Imbalanced diets low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red and processed meat are responsible for one of the greatest health burdens globally and in most regions.
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).
• The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems established specific dietary recommendations for minimum intake of health-promoting foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains) and maximum intake of foods with detrimental health or environmental impacts (red meat, processed meat, dairy, fish).
• A quarter of all deaths among adults globally are attributable to poor diets, defined as diets low in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• The Global Nutrition Report 2021 analysis includes diet-disease associations for low intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, and whole grains, as well as for high intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.

legumes

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• To improve population health, policy measures should support increased intake of health-promoting foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds, while reducing the intake of unhealthy foods such as red meat, processed meat, and sugary beverages.
• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Globally, more educated individuals had lower AHEI scores (less favorable consumption levels) for red/processed meat (-0.6), sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.6), and nuts and legumes (-0.1).
• Diets globally continue to lack sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, while including excessive and sometimes rising amounts of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• Risks related to dietary composition in the 2021 Global Nutrition Report analysis included low intake of fruits (2.8 million deaths), whole grains (2.3 million), vegetables (1.7 million), legumes (1.5 million), nuts and seeds (1.0 million), and high intake of red meat (980,000), processed meat (880,000), and sugar-sweetened beverages (290,000).
• The Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) scores dietary intake based on eleven components: fruits and vegetables (≥ 400g), beans and other legumes (> 0g), nuts and seeds (> 0g), whole grains (> 0g), dietary fiber (> 25g), total fat (< 30% total energy), saturated fat (< 10% total energy), dietary sodium (< 2g), free sugars (< 10% total energy), processed meat (0g), and unprocessed red meat (≤ 71g).
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats, while containing little to no red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and oils high in saturated fats.
• Imbalanced diets low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red and processed meat are responsible for one of the greatest health burdens globally and in most regions.
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).
• The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems established specific dietary recommendations for minimum intake of health-promoting foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains) and maximum intake of foods with detrimental health or environmental impacts (red meat, processed meat, dairy, fish).
• The Global Nutrition Report 2021 analysis includes diet-disease associations for low intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, and whole grains, as well as for high intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.

fruits

Fruits and processed meat are both key components of dietary quality assessments, where fruits are categorized as health-promoting foods to be increased and processed meat as a detrimental food to be limited [1], [2], [3]. Their combined intake levels are frequently used as metrics to define suboptimal or healthy diets and to measure the global burden of diet-related disease [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. — 13 supporting facts

nuts

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Globally, more educated individuals had lower AHEI scores (less favorable consumption levels) for red/processed meat (-0.6), sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.6), and nuts and legumes (-0.1).
• Diets globally continue to lack sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, while including excessive and sometimes rising amounts of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• The Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) scores dietary intake based on eleven components: fruits and vegetables (≥ 400g), beans and other legumes (> 0g), nuts and seeds (> 0g), whole grains (> 0g), dietary fiber (> 25g), total fat (< 30% total energy), saturated fat (< 10% total energy), dietary sodium (< 2g), free sugars (< 10% total energy), processed meat (0g), and unprocessed red meat (≤ 71g).
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats, while containing little to no red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and oils high in saturated fats.
• Imbalanced diets low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red and processed meat are responsible for one of the greatest health burdens globally and in most regions.
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).
• The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems established specific dietary recommendations for minimum intake of health-promoting foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains) and maximum intake of foods with detrimental health or environmental impacts (red meat, processed meat, dairy, fish).
• A quarter of all deaths among adults globally are attributable to poor diets, defined as diets low in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• The Global Nutrition Report 2021 analysis includes diet-disease associations for low intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, and whole grains, as well as for high intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.

vegetables

Vegetables and processed meat are frequently contrasted in dietary guidelines and health studies as opposing components of a healthy diet, where vegetables are recommended for increased intake and processed meat for reduction [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. They are both key metrics used to evaluate dietary quality and its associated health burdens in global nutrition reports [6], [7], [8]. — 12 supporting facts

inflammation

Inflammation and processed meat are related because consuming processed meat increases inflammation, as stated in [1], [2], [3], and [4]. Dietary recommendations to manage or reduce inflammation explicitly advise prioritizing lean meats over processed meats [5] and reducing or eliminating processed meat [6]. — 7 supporting facts

meat

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• In maritime settings, access to meat, processed meat, eggs, frozen and canned food items, sugary drinks, alcohol, and greasy and salty food is high, while consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals is lower than recommended dietary guidelines.
• Participants in Tessekere (Senegal) reported lower or absent consumption of '9. Eggs', '7. Meat', '8. processed meat', '16. sentinel fried and salty foods', and '18. alcoholic beverage' compared to other regions.
• The first principal component (PC1) of the dietary profile PCA correlated with '10. fish and shellfish' in opposition to '8. processed meat' and '7. meat', representing a gradient of animal protein sources from aquatic to terrestrial origin.
• The Paleo Diet emphasizes the consumption of lean protein sources, such as meat, poultry, and fish, while discouraging processed meats with additives.
• Dietary patterns of participants from Caribbean Coast (Guadeloupe) and Oyapock (French Guiana) are characterized by food groups ‘7. meat’, ‘8. processed meat’, ‘9. eggs’, ‘5. ripe fruits’ and ‘2. roots, tubers and other starchy foods’, a pattern labeled “animal protein of terrestrial origin and high starch”.
• Dietary intake in maritime settings is characterized by high consumption of meat, processed meat, eggs, frozen and canned food, sugary drinks, alcohol, and greasy and salty foods, while consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals is lower than recommended.

fruit

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• In maritime settings, access to meat, processed meat, eggs, frozen and canned food items, sugary drinks, alcohol, and greasy and salty food is high, while consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals is lower than recommended dietary guidelines.
• Higher-income countries exhibit better scores for healthy dietary components, such as fruit and whole grains, but worse scores for unhealthy components, such as red/processed meats and sodium, compared to lower-income countries.
• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).
• Dietary intake in maritime settings is characterized by high consumption of meat, processed meat, eggs, frozen and canned food, sugary drinks, alcohol, and greasy and salty foods, while consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals is lower than recommended.

sodium

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• Higher-income countries exhibit better scores for healthy dietary components, such as fruit and whole grains, but worse scores for unhealthy components, such as red/processed meats and sodium, compared to lower-income countries.
• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Across the world's 25 most populous countries in 2018, there was a 100-fold difference in sodium scores, a 90-fold difference in red/processed meat scores, and a 23-fold difference in sugar-sweetened beverage scores.
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• In high-income countries, Central/Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, improvements in dietary quality driven by increased intake of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, legumes/nuts, and whole grains have been offset by stable or only minor reductions in red/processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and sodium.
• Red/processed meat and sodium consumption have significantly increased over time in Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.

seeds

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• The Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) scores dietary intake based on eleven components: fruits and vegetables (≥ 400g), beans and other legumes (> 0g), nuts and seeds (> 0g), whole grains (> 0g), dietary fiber (> 25g), total fat (< 30% total energy), saturated fat (< 10% total energy), dietary sodium (< 2g), free sugars (< 10% total energy), processed meat (0g), and unprocessed red meat (≤ 71g).
• Suboptimal diets are characterized by low intake of fibers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, milk, seafood, calcium, and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) and high intake of trans-fatty acids, sodium, red or processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Afshin et al. (2019).
• A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats, while containing little to no red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and oils high in saturated fats.
• Imbalanced diets low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red and processed meat are responsible for one of the greatest health burdens globally and in most regions.
• A quarter of all deaths among adults globally are attributable to poor diets, defined as diets low in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and high in red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.
• The Global Nutrition Report 2021 analysis includes diet-disease associations for low intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, and whole grains, as well as for high intake of red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks.

Alternative Healthy Eating Index

Justification not yet generated — showing supporting facts

• Globally, between 1990 and 2018, AHEI scores increased for non-starchy vegetables (+1.1), legumes/nuts (+1.1), and fruit (+0.1); decreased for red/processed meat (−1.4), sugar-sweetened beverages (−0.6), and sodium (−0.4); and remained stable for whole grains (+0.1), PUFAs (0), and seafood omega-3 (0).
• Globally, more educated individuals had lower AHEI scores (less favorable consumption levels) for red/processed meat (-0.6), sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.6), and nuts and legumes (-0.1).
• In 2018, the highest global AHEI component scores for unhealthier items (indicating lowest or most favourable intakes) were for sugar-sweetened beverages (5.8) and red/processed meat (4.8).
• Globally, urban residents had higher AHEI scores for fruit (+0.2) and whole grains (+0.2), but lower scores for sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.5), red/processed meat (-0.4), and legumes/nuts (-0.1).

western diet

Processed meat is a defining component of the Western diet as described in [1], and its consumption within this dietary pattern is associated with significant health risks as noted in [2]. — 2 supporting facts

dietary diversity

The relationship is established because dietary diversity in South Asia is characterized by a low intake of processed meat, as noted in [1]. — 1 supporting fact