Poor diet tied to $50.4B in costs from cardiometabolic diseases
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The annual costs from cardiometabolic disease caused by suboptimal diet is approximately $301 per person, or $50.4 billion nationwide, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine.
Thomas A. Gaziano, MD, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, told Healio Primary Care that the findings suggest that having an optimal diet could reduce the risk for CVD up to approximately 20%, “which is equivalent to what hypertension medicine and cholesterol-lowering medicines themselves could achieve ... that means reductions in heart attacks and strokes, patients living longer and healthier as an outcome from achieving these dietary habits.”
Researchers developed a validated microsimulation model to estimate the annual costs of cardiometabolic disease associated with suboptimal intakes of 10 dietary factors, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed meats, and sodium. Their model incorporated data on population demographics and dietary habits from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
They found that suboptimal diet caused 18.2% of all health care costs from cardiometabolic disease nationwide. Of the $50.4 billion in cardiometabolic disease-related costs, 84.3% resulted from acute care.
Among dietary factors, low nut/seed consumption was associated with the highest cost per capita ($81; 95% CI, 74-86), followed by low seafood omega-3 fat consumption ($76; 95% CI, 70-83). Suboptimal consumption of red meat was associated with the lowest annual costs ($3; 95% CI, 2.8-3.5).
Individual costs were highest among patients with Medicare ($481 per person) and those who were eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid ($536 per person).
Gaziano explained that to help lower the health and financial burdens of cardiometabolic diseases from poor diets, physicians can prescribe a healthy diet to their patients, or patients can even take it upon themselves to achieve an optimal diet. Additionally, policies are needed to ensure that all people can achieve an optimal diet, as many cannot afford healthy food or do not have access to it. – by Erin Michael
Disclosures: Gaziano reports receiving research funding from Novartis and personal fees for consulting from Amgen and WHO outside the submitted work. Please see study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.