中風離不開高血壓及肥胖等因素，一項全球最大型的研究找出引致中風十大原因，頭號是高血壓，三分一的中風個案是由血壓高引發，血壓高人士中風機率較常人高 2.5倍；煙民中風危險也高非煙民 1倍，每 5人中風就有 1人與吸煙有關。
這項大型研究由加拿大學者領導，於 22個國家 6,000人進行研究，包括 3,000名急性中風患者與同樣數目沒有中風的人士，研究由 07年至今年 4月進行，全部人均接受電腦掃描檢查。結果得出，高血壓、吸煙、中央肥胖、飲食習慣、運動、脂肪、糖尿、飲酒、壓力及心臟功能是十大中風危險因素。
研究員建議各國推動市民改善血壓、戒煙、食得健康及多做運動。本港每年有逾兩萬人中風，中風者趨年輕化。
(Updates throughout with details from report)
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - New U.S. nutritional guidelines should focus on keeping Americans from getting even fatter, experts said on Tuesday, with an emphasis not only on healthy foods but on finding ways to help Americans eat better and exercise more.
With two-thirds of U.S. adults overweight or obese, the aim is to help people cut calories while getting the right nutrients, Rear Admiral Penelope Slade-Sawyer of the Health and Human Services Department told reporters in a telephone briefing.
"This report is unprecedented in addressing the obesity epidemic ... and the obesity epidemic is the single biggest threat to public health," Slade-Sawyer said.
This is especially true for children, among whom obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years.
"Americans of all ages consume too few vegetables, fruits, high-fiber whole grains, low-fat milk and milk products, and seafood and they eat too much added sugars, solid fats, refined grains, and sodium," the report said.
The report from more than a dozen experts of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, was released here for a 30-day public comment period.
HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will then draw up new guidelines, as required by Congress every five years.
The guidelines set standards for U.S. school breakfasts and lunches and other federal programs. The administration of President Barack Obama has launched an effort to fight childhood obesity with better eating and more exercise.
PLANT-BASED DIET
The committee's recommendations emphasize a plant-based diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of lean meat, poultry and eggs.
They also suggest decreasing sodium from the current level of less than 2,300 milligrams a day to less than 1,500 and said Americans need to phase out processed grains like white flour.
"There is a call for drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. There is a call to decrease saturated fat from 10 percent to 7 percent of daily calories. It is sort of a graduated approach to decrease the caloric intake of the American public," Slade-Sawyer said.
And it veered into public policy, something avoided in past reports.
"The daunting public health challenge is to accomplish population-wide adoption of healthful dietary patterns within the context of powerful influences that currently promote unhealthy consumer choices, behaviors, and lifestyles," the report said.
"Primary prevention of obesity must begin in childhood. This is the single most powerful public health approach to combating and reversing America's obesity epidemic over the long term."
Families need to learn how to cook healthier food, and kids need recess, it said.
"For all Americans, especially those with low income, create greater financial incentives to purchase, prepare, and consume vegetables and fruit, whole grains, seafood, fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, and other healthy foods," the report added.
It suggested development of fish farms to help people afford fish.
It also noted there are no short-cuts to good nutrition. "A daily multivitamin/mineral supplement does not offer health benefits to healthy Americans," the report said.
(Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Vicki Allen)
文章
所有留言
