Consumers In Developing Countries More Keen to Take Steps to Improve Diet

18 May 2015 --- A survey carried out by Consumers International has revealed that the majority of people around the world are unaware of the impact that an unhealthy diet has on health and mortality, and that over 80% of people think (incorrectly) that other factors such as war, smoking, HIV/Aids and Malaria are bigger killers. Those in developing countries such as Brazil and India are more open to efforts to restrict unhealthy diets than those in developed nations.

The survey asked 2,988 people in six countries, including the US, Netherlands, China, India, Egypt and Brazil, their views on an unhealthy diet and its impact on health. With an unhealthy diet leading to 11m deaths per year globally, just 18% of respondents thought that diet was the leading cause of death worldwide, citing war and smoking higher. In the US and China, almost a quarter cited diet as the most prolific cause of death, whereas in the Netherlands and Brazil, just 11% of respondents to the online survey thought that diet was a leading cause of death.

Some 71% of respondents said that eating a healthy diet was important to them and their family, but individual countries varied greatly in their responses. In India and Egypt, 90% and 81% said that a healthy diet was important, while in the US and the Netherlands, this figure dropped to 52% and 53% respectively.

When told that poor diet contributes to 11m deaths per year and costs the global economy $1trillion, most respondents said that they would support a move to reduce salt, fat and sugar (leading causes of malnutrition) in processed foods, as well as the advertising of processed foods directly to children. However, the individual responses varied greatly, with those in developing countries such as Brazil and India being most in favour of reductions in HFSS and advertising aimed at children and those in developed countries (US & the Netherlands) less supportive (<50%).

More than one third of the global population is now obese, which is a leading cause of deaths from conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. As the industrialisation of developing countries continues, populations are being introduced to more processed foods that are cheaper but laden with salt, fat and sugar, all proven to contribute to obesity and an unhealthy diet.

In today’s Western world, parents will see many of their children die before them as a result of their unhealthy diet. This is the first time in three generations that children will die before their parents due to disease.