Western diet is the one characterized by high intake of sugar, salt, refined grains and red meat. Hydrogenated and trans-fats are also found in high quantities in a western diet. According to Dorling Kindersley's book
'Healing Foods', "this diet, based on studies of western populations, is associated with an elevated incidence of obesity, death from heart disease, cancer (especially colon cancer), and other western-pattern diet-related diseases". A recent study conducted by the experts at the University of California links western diet consumption with risk of developing chronic liver inflammation in men.
"Gut and liver health are linked. Our data shows that diet, gender, and different antibiotic treatments alter the gut microbiota as well as bile acid profile and have different effects on liver inflammation," said lead investigator Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, Professor at the University of California.
The study was reported in The American Journal of Pathology and studied mice module. It was found that liver inflammation was most pronounced in western diet-fed male mice. The liver receives 70 per cent of its blood supply from the intestine, thus understanding how the gut contributes to liver disease development may help develop treatments, the researchers said.
"The main building blocks of fats, carbs and protein in a western diet are often processed, nutrient-poor foods high in sugar, refined grains, and saturated fats," as noted in Healing Foods. Regular consumption of such a diet may not only take a toll on health but can also trigger a range of metabolic and lifestyle ailments. The key is to switch to fresh fruits and vegetables and items that aren't processed and packaged. "Eating a varied diet ensures we get a steady supply of highly bioavailable nutrients that help reduce the likelihood of conditions such as Alzheimer's, dementia, anxiety, depression, arthritis, some types of cancer (including breast and bowel), and heart and circulatory disease," as mentioned in Healing Foods.
Inputs from IANS