What Is The Western Diet (And Why Is It Bad)

11.19.2019 0 comments

Author: Trisha Houghton, CNS, ASIST

Statistics show that more than 60% of adults aged 20 or older are either overweight or obese, and an estimated 280,184 deaths are attributed to this nutritional status yearly. As a result, there is a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country.

According to this study, over 64 million Americans are living with one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, accounting for 38.5% of all deaths in the country. 50 million Americans have hypertension, 11 million have type 2 diabetes, and 37 million are at an increased risk for dyslipidaemia.

In addition, cancer is responsible for about one-quarter of all deaths in the United States, and alarmingly, an estimated 33% of all cancer cases are linked to nutritional factors, including obesity.

Understanding why the Western diet is bad is crucial in tackling the growing public health crises, especially in light of its contribution to persistent low-grade inflammation, weight gain and metabolic diseases. These poor dietary patterns are a global issue, but are more common in populations with lower income and education levels.

This article will discuss what the Western diet is and why it is so bad. We will also discover realistic ways to transition from the Western diet and the importance of a balanced, whole foods diet.

What is The Western Diet?

The Western diet refers to a dietary pattern largely characterised by high levels of refined sugars, snacks, refined grains, pre-packaged meals, fried foods, sugar-laden, highly processed breakfast cereals, and conventionally raised animal products.

These foods are often high in saturated and trans fats and high-fat dairy products, along with a notable lack of fibres, vitamins, and minerals.

The Western dietary pattern lacks the healthy food dessert options commonly found in balanced diets, making it a significant risk factor for diseases.

Our genes are adapted to the lifestyle and nutrition of our early ancestors. However, studies show that the introduction of agriculture and animal farming thousands of years ago significantly changed how we live and eat.

These shifts, especially the more recent rise of highly processed foods, occurred too early for our genes to fully adapt. This mismatch between our genetic makeup and modern dietary patterns is believed to be a major contributing factor to the rise in many chronic diseases today.

Before agriculture and the domestication of animals, humans fed on wild plants and animal food. However, the diversity in the nutritional content of man’s food changed when agriculture and the domestication of animals started. This was further accelerated by the industrial revolution, which introduced novel ultra-processed foods that humans had not previously encountered in their revolutionary history.

In summary, agriculture, the domestication of animals, and industrialisation were the foundations of the Western diet.

The Link Between Western Diet and Inflammation

The influence of diet on inflammation results from a combined effect of both the quality and quantity of the food we eat, as well as our genetic predisposition, according to James O’Keefe, Jr, MD, of the Mid-America Heart Institute.

In his review of the relationship between diet and cardiovascular disease, Dr. O’Keefe concluded that many of these diseases stem from dietary and lifestyle patterns that our modern genes are not adapted to. This highlights a stark contrast between contemporary habits and those of our ancestors. This reinforces the idea that inflammation triggered by certain dietary patterns plays a crucial role in the development of many chronic diseases.

Research has found a strong correlation between the Western diet, characterised by excessive consumption of processed carbohydrates, low dietary fibre and vegetable intake, a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, and the increased release of proinflammatory molecules.

Additionally, because the Western diet is typically low in antioxidants, it fails to counteract inflammation effectively. This nutritional imbalance can trigger a proinflammatory response, contributing to the development of various chronic diseases.

What does this mean for you? It means that a Western diet exposes you to the side effects of chronic systemic inflammation, which are pretty scary and may include:

• Heart disease. Inflammation can lead to blockages of fatty plaque, arterial narrowing, and blood clots, all of which can lead to heart attacks.

• Diabetes. Cytokines released by the body’s inflammatory response can mess with your body’s insulin signalling, increasing insulin resistance. It can also lead to blood sugar spikes, which trigger another immune response, leading to more inflammation.

• Bone health problems. Chronic inflammation can decrease bone growth and lead to an increase in bone mass loss. Cytokines can interfere with bone remodelling, as well as decrease the absorption of important nutrients.

• Lung problems. Chronic inflammation can reduce pulmonary function and contribute to problems like asthma or COPD. Inflammation in the lungs can reduce oxygen intake and make breathing difficult.

• Cancer. Chronic inflammation has not yet been definitively linked to cancer, but it’s believed to be associated with it. Tumour cells use the inflammatory response’s nutrients and oxygen to grow and spread around the body.

• Depression. Depression has been linked to inflammation in the brain, and inflammation can lead to fatigue, sleep problems, and loss of appetite. Cytokines can interfere with hunger signals, affecting your appetite and food cravings.

• Anger disorders. People with intermittent explosive disorder tend to have higher inflammatory markers, though the precise link between inflammation and anger disorders hasn’t yet been established clearly.

Furthermore, the environment created in the gut by ultra-processed foods is linked to increased inflammation. This shift in the gut microbiome is usually accompanied by a reduction in gut microbiota and a loss of important microbial functions.

As a result, harmful gut bacteria can thrive, leading to systemic inflammation. This inflammatory response is further worsened by a diet high in refined carbohydrates and fast food, which impair intestinal barrier function and reduce gut health.

A study conducted in Tanzania added further evidence to the impact of the Western diet on inflammation. The study’s aim was to assess the effects of switching from a traditional African diet to a Western diet, and vice versa, for two weeks among 77 men.

At the end of the study, participants who adopted a Western diet showed a notable increase in proinflammatory markers, and their immune cells also demonstrated reduced responsiveness to diseases. In contrast, those who switched to a traditional African diet experienced a decrease in inflammatory markers.

The significant physiological changes observed within just two weeks of dietary change highlight the impact of food on overall human health.

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Health Risks Associated With The Western Diet

Studies have shown that people who abandon their indigenous food for a Western diet soon find out the health implications.

For example, diseases such as diabetes were almost non-existence among the Maya people of Central America until the 1950s when they switched to a Western diet. Additionally, Siberian nomads, such as the Evenk and Yakut, traditionally had very low rates of heart disease, despite consuming a meat-rich diet.

This trend persisted until the fall of the Soviet Union, after which many began purchasing processed market food. Today, their health profile has changed significantly; nearly 50% of Yakut villagers are overweight, and approximately 33% have high blood pressure, reflecting the impact of dietary and lifestyle changes on their health.

The example above isn’t merely anecdotal; there is growing scientific evidence linking the Western diet to a wide range of non-communicable diseases.

The World Health Organisation has consistently warned about the dangers of poor diet and physical inactivity as the major drivers of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. According to the WHO, more than 650 million people were obese in 2016, and by 2022, this number had risen to 890 million.

The steady increase in this number is linked to the increasing acceptance of the Western diet. Sadly, not only is obesity a disorder itself, but it’s a disease that has a chain reaction.

Being overweight raises your risk of the following diseases:

• Type 2 diabetes;
• Heart disease;
• Metabolic syndrome;
• Fatty liver disease;
• Certain cancers;
• Osteoarthritis;
• Asthma;
• Kidney disease;
• Fertility problems;
• Colon cancer;
• Crohn’s disease.

Furthermore, obesity affects mental health, as studies have shown that fat diets and sugar intake, which ultimately make one obese, negatively impact our emotional state, spatial learning, memory, and neurogenesis in both animals and man. Hence, we need to make better dietary choices.

Steps to Transition Away From The Western Diet

Science and Technology, which have enabled the processing of Western diets on a large scale, aren’t slowing down anytime soon, nor are we going back to the Stone Age to inherit the wild life of our ancestors. Therefore, we need to find a way to strike a balance and prevent our health from taking further hits from the Western diet.

The Mediterranean diet has consistently made news as the best-ranked diet. In contrast to the Western diet, this diet, which originated from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is characterised by:

• Consumption of olive oil is the main source of added fat;
• High consumption of plant-based foods such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes;
• Fish and seafood are consumed moderately;
• Low to moderate intake of alcohol, primarily red wine;
• Red meats and other meat products are used sparingly.

The Mediterranean diet has shifted from a diet to a prescription as health experts and bodies like the American Heart Association (AHA) continue to recommend this type of diet because of its numerous health benefits, especially on cardiovascular health.

Apart from adopting the Mediterranean diet, other steps that we can take to transition away from the Western diet include:

• Cooking more at home, as this affords us the chance to be in control of our ingredients;
• Cutting back on saturated fats, trans fats and all high-fat diets;
• Adopting the DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diet also aligns with AHA diet recommendations;
• Adopting a vegetarian diet is another effective option, as research has consistently shown its positive impact on overall health.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” is a quote that is widely ascribed to Hippocrates, and it underscores the overarching impact of food products on our health and why we should adopt the best practices.

The Benefits of a Balanced, Whole-Food Diet

Eating food with the essential nutrients required for your body’s growth helps support optimal physical development, boosts energy levels, strengthens the immune system, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic diseases.

According to WHO’s dietary guidelines, a healthy diet should contain fruits and vegetables, legumes, healthy fats, nuts, and whole grains.

These foods, when consumed in their natural state, offer a range of health benefits, including:

• They are rich in dietary fibres, which slow down digestion, help you feel fuller, and may help with weight loss.
• Many whole foods contain antioxidants, which may help with oxidative stress, inflammation, and slowing down some disease progression.
• Some can improve your cognitive ability because of their richness in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Unlike highly processed foods, which provide an energy spike, whole foods provide a steady stream of energy because of their slow rate of digestion.
• Many whole foods also have a cardio-protective effect because they contain flavonoids.

Physical activity plus healthy diets made up of vegetables and whole grains offer numerous health benefits, especially for healthy adults seeking to maintain energy and immunity.

Modern life makes it easy to fall into the trap of convenience foods, but long-term health depends on making conscious choices that support your body at the cellular level. Just as shifting from a Western diet to whole, nutrient-dense foods can lower inflammation and reduce disease risk, the right nutritional support can actively help your body repair, regenerate, and thrive—unlocking your natural longevity potential.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 worst foods for memory loss?

The five worst foods for memory loss are processed meats, sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, trans fats and excessive alcohol, as they can negatively affect brain health and cognitive function.

What is the standard Western diet?

The standard Western diet is also known as the Standard American Diet (SAD), is a dietary pattern characterised by a high intake of processed foods, refined grains, red and processed meats, high-sugar drinks, fried foods, high-fat dairy, and unhealthy fats, while being low in fibre, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

What is the one fruit that may prevent dementia?

While no fruit can explicitly prevent dementia, berries, especially blueberries, are considered one of the top fruits that may help prevent dementia due to their high levels of antioxidants and brain-boosting compounds like flavonoids.

References

1. Origins and Evolution of The Western Diet: Health Implications For The 21st Century
2. Western Diet
3. Global Impact of The Western Diet And Its Effects on Metabolism And Health: A Narrative Review
4. Cardiovascular disease resulting from a diet and lifestyle at odds with our Palaeolithic genome: how to become a 21st-century hunter-gatherer
5. Industrial Revolution
6. Western Diet And Inflammation
7. High Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratios And The Risk of Non-communicable Diseases: Is The Tissue The Main Issue? 
8. The Western Diet-Microbiome Host-Interaction And Its Role in Metabolic Diseases
9. Western Diet Linked To Chronic Diseases
10. Switching to a Western Diet Triggers Inflammation And Weakens Immunity
11. The Evolution of Diet
12. Healthy Diet
13. Obesity And Western Diet: How We Got Here
14. Health Risks of Overweight And Obesity
15. Western Diet: Implications For Brain Health And Behaviour
16. What is the Mediterranean Diet
17. The Mediterranean Diet: From an Environment-Driven Culture To an Emerging Medical Prescription
18. DASH Eating Plan
19. The Role of Plant-based Diets in Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease: More Light Than Shadows
20. Nutrition Benefits And Considerations for Whole Foods Plant-based Eating Pattern
21. Western Diet Triggers NLRP3-Dependent Innate Immune Reprogramming

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