Have you been eating too many burgers and fries lately? You may want to watch what you eat, as a recent study on ScienceDaily.com says that a “western-style diet,” which is usually composed of fried and sweet foods that are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, may increase your chances of developing chronic diseases.

Examining the data of 3,775 men and 1,575 women with an average age of 51 years old, researchers found that only four percent of the participants aged healthily, while 12.7 percent developed cardiovascular disease.

They also revealed that 2.8 percent died due to cardiovascular causes, 7.3 percent died due to non-cardiovascular causes, and 73.2 percent died due to normal aging.

Based on the results, those with heart problems failed to adhere to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), a set of dietary guidelines which help lower the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, those who regularly ate a “western-style” diet were less likely to age healthily.

Admittedly, eating healthy can be a challenge, so if you’re always on the go, pack yourself healthy snacks which you can eat on the road such as sandwiches, crackers, or sliced fruits. This way, you can control what you eat, and keep yourself healthy.


(Photo by punctuated via Flickr Creative Commons)