A new study hints at the possibility that western diets can raise heart diseases risk The Western diet may not be healthy for the heart, new UK research finds.
The study found people moving from South Asia to the UK faced an increased risk of heart disease and many risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes were more often seen among the immigrants than their counterparts in their home country.Researchers from the University of Manchester's Medical School, in collaboration with colleagues from Sandwell District General Hospital near Birmingham and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, measured the heart risk factors among the two groups.
In the study of 537 Gujaratis, researchers compared the lifestyles, dietary habits and physical activity of those living in Sandwell with those remaining in their village of origin in Gujarat.
Those living in the UK had higher body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation levels. Professor Kennedy Cruickshank attributed the increased risk of heart disease to diets with high fat and lower unrefined carbohydrates.
Diets with plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and poultry and with reduced fats and refined sugars are healthy for the heart. Physical exercise also helps.
