Dietary Risk Factors and Non-Communicable Diseases

Dietary risk factors are among the leading contributors to the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), notably type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Suboptimal patterns—characterised by excessive intake of processed meats, refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages and sodium, together with insufficient consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds—drive metabolic disturbances such as raised body-mass index, hypertension and dysglycaemia. These disturbances in turn accelerate atherogenesis, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, increasing morbidity and premature mortality. The distribution of diet-related risk varies by region, socioeconomic status and urbanicity, with rising burdens in low- and middle-income countries amid nutrition transitions. A comprehensive approach that spans individual behaviour change, food-system reform and policy interventions is essential to redress imbalances, reduce health inequalities and curb the escalating economic costs of NCDs worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent assessments have quantified the global incidence of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes, revealing that more than two-thirds of new adult cases are tied to poor dietary quality, particularly low whole-grain intake and excess refined cereals and processed meats. Parallel work on sugar-sweetened beverages among adults in nearly 200 countries has identified marked regional and demographic variations, with the highest consumption in Latin America and accelerating trends in sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring the need for targeted taxation and education strategies. In the United Kingdom, modelling of sustained dietary shifts towards national healthy-eating guidelines projects gains in life expectancy of up to ten years, driven largely by increases in whole grains, nuts and fruits and reduced consumption of processed meats and sugary drinks. These findings collectively illuminate the potential health gains from improved diet quality and inform clinical and public health planning.

Dietary Risk Factors and Non-Communicable Diseases publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary risk factors and non-communicable diseases across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): Chronic conditions not transmitted between individuals, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Suboptimal intake: Consumption of foods or nutrients below or above the optimum level associated with minimal health risk.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs): Drinks containing added sugars, such as sodas and sweetened juices, linked to obesity and metabolic disease.

Whole grains: Cereals retaining the bran, germ and endosperm, associated with reduced risk of NCDs.

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs): A measure combining years of life lost due to premature death and years lived with disability.

References

1. Incident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries. Nature Medicine (2023).
2. Sugar-sweetened beverage intakes among adults between 1990 and 2018 in 185 countries. Nature Communications (2023).
3. Life expectancy can increase by up to 10 years following sustained shifts towards healthier diets in the United Kingdom. Nature Food (2023).
4. Intake of sugar sweetened beverages among children and adolescents in 185 countries between 1990 and 2018: population based study. The BMJ (2024).
5. The burden of metabolic risk factors in North Africa and the Middle East, 1990–2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study. EClinicalMedicine (2023).