Food and health
My dear friend and esteemed colleague Vladimir Mihoković analysed the connection between food and health, more specifically, how certain types of food cause various health problems we are facing today. Here you can read a summary of his article From farm to health, not only to the table, in which you can find more information about the health problems associated with food.
FROM FARM TO HEALTH, NOT ONLY TO THE TABLE
Vladimir Mihoković
Zagreb, Croatia; E-mail: vladimir.mihokovic@zg.t-com.hr
Summary
The present approach to food safety from farm to table which marked the past 13 years is in urgent need of redesign. Based on numerical and logical analysis of health consequences from existing food consumption – healthful on the market is clearly demonstrated by health problems: CVD, obesity and its comorbidites, cancer rate increase, kidney diseases, osteoporosis in the young, ADHD in children, alcohol addiction in youth, reduced fertility in couples, and others. Therefore, we should introduce from farm to health doctrine. In this way the health system would be deeply integrated with healthcare by food.
These health consequences are recognised and quantified by healthcare system in the process of treatment. Some food is designed to prompt excessive consumption.
According to our analysis, the causes are grouped in eight categories: fructose in drinks, phosphate in soft drinks, excessive amount of salt in products, synergy of cocktails of additives and unnecessary additives in food, synergistic toxicity of pesticide and heavy metals residue, small amount of mycotoxins and their suppression of detoxification genes in cell process, carcinogenic compounds from grill and fryer, and alcoholic cocktails with diet carbonated drinks.
We need to redesign the legislation, discourage tax policy for certain products, ensure proper labelling, introduce motivating pressure to producers; national policy and consumer action, street art in raising awareness of manufacturers and consumers, make the scientific knowledge concerning this issue popular.
It is very likely that the serious health consequences resulting from these causes are much more severe than the ones from harmful substances and microorganisms.
The following are health problems associated with food and they are grouped into eight categories:
1. Cardio-vascular diseases (CVD)
2. Obesity and its comorbidity
3. Cancer
4. Kidney diseases
5. Osteoporosis, especially in the young
6. ADHD syndrome in children
7. Alcohol addiction of the young
8. Couple's fertility
The occurrence of the above mentioned health problems is affected by the following food factors:
1. Fructose in soft drinks
2. Phosphate in soft drinks
3. Over-salted food
4. Cocktails of food additives in food and their harmful synergy in the body
5. Harmful synergy of pesticides, phthalates, drugs and metals from food
6. Small amount of mycotoxins in food and their adverse effect on suppression of detoxification genes
7. Carcinogenic compounds in food from grills and deep fryers
8. Red Bull cocktails in night and disco clubs
Some of the proposed measures for the redesign of the existing strategies and the conclusion
Changing strategy to fully integrate health into the food chain and to enable new developments for protection of human health and health promotion is vital. Changing the food law is easily feasible. Adoption of the Regulation on limiting the amount of salt in food is the usual professional-enforceable legal procedure done in a short time. There was a draft 30 years ago and I was a member of the working group, however, the draft was not adopted.
Furthermore, the introduction of additional taxes on unwanted products is a good measure. Introduction of taxes on Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola in Mexico in 2005 was the first year of consumption decreased by 6%. It also resulted in a significant reduction of the number of obese people several years later.
Education and awareness are also effective measures. Here is an example of a National Policy - salt intake has been reduced and consumers' health improved in Scandinavia and the UK.
To raise the awareness of people we suggest using 3D street art. This could be a new social contribution to the protection of health. The young are visually oriented and the method is expected to be effective. Pictures made by young artists might work.
Greater society initiatives devoted to promoting public health have to be introduced, otherwise the health budget and socio-economic development may be jeopardised in the future.
Literature
1.Health care industry (HCY), 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Health_care_industry&oldid=678731495.
2. UCL , 2012., Public Policy the European Institute the future of Healthcare in Europe
3. B. Bergman Marković, K. Kranjčević, I. Matijašević, M. Petrovčić, 2005., Otkrivanje i liječenje hipertenzije između prepruka struke i mogućnosti društva, HČJZ, vol 1, Br. 2.
4. D. Stefanović, 2015., Osteoporoza-tihi kradljivac kostiju, VMA Beograd.
5. J. Vučak, 2010., Pretilost djece školske dobi, I kongres DNOOM (Društvo nastavnika opće/obiteljske medicine, Zagreb, Hrvatska.
6. S.Čala, 2015, Što svatko treba znati o bubrežnim bolestima, Svjetski dan bubrega u Hrvatskoj, http:/svjetskidanbubrega.org/p2-burezne-bolesti.htm.
7.Poliklinika za zaštitu djece grada Zagreba, 2011, Dan mentalnog zdravlja, http://porestina.info/deficit-paznje-hiperaktivni-poremecaj-adhd-kod-djece-zdravi-grad-mentalno-zdravlje/
8. M. Milanović, 2014., Mladi i alkohol, Pliva zdravlje, Zagreb.
9.CDC, 2014., Facts – Caffeine and Alcohol, http://www.cdc.gov/Other/plugins/.
10. IVF, 2012, Poliklinika za ginekologiju, porodništvo i reproduktivnu medicinu, Zagreb.
11. S. Krstev Barač, 2015., Fruktoza na «optuženičkoj klupi», www.zdrava krava.hr.
12. S. Boseley, 2015. , Mexican soda tax cuts sales of sugary soft drinks by 6% in first year ,The Guardian 18. june 2015.
13.G. Shaw, 2007, Soda and osteoprosis: Is there a Connection ?, WebMD.
14.Food Program Additives (FPA), 2015, Sustainable table, http://www.sustainabletable.org/385/additives.
15. E. Arnold. 2012, Artificial Food Colors and ADHD Symptoms: Conclusios to Dye for, Neurotherapeutics, 9/3, 599-609.
16. GRAS (FDA), 2015., http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/.
17. N. Cedergreen, 2014. , Quantifying Sinergy:A Sistematic Review of Mixture Toxicity Studies within Environmental Toxicology, published on line, Plos One. 2014, 9(5): e96580.
18. S Christiansen, M. Sholtze, M. Dalgard, A. M. Vinggaard, M. Axelstad, A. Kortenkamp. U. Hass, 2009, Synergistic Disruption of ExternalaMale sex organ Development by a Mixture of Four Antiandrogens, EHP, Vol. 117, Issue 12.
19. Guilford F. T. , Hope J. , 2014, Deficient Glutathion in the Pathphysiology of Mycotoxin-related Illness, Toxins (Basel) 6(2) 608-623, published on line, .
20. Zdrava hrana za zdravo življenje (ZHZZŽ) – Razvoj živilskih izdelkov z dodano vrednostju in višo kavostjo ; Cilj 3 - Evropsko teritorijalno sodelovanje Slovenija – Mađarska, Tehnološki park, Murska Sobota, 2007 – 2013.
