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March 14th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) — The foods Americans eat
have a lot to do with factors like race, age and where they live, and can
be categorized into five distinct dietary patterns, according to a new
study.
Researchers analyzed food questionnaires from a large group of black
and white adults aged 45 and older in the continental United States, with
a focus on southeastern states.
The strongest association they found was that black people were more
likely than whites to have “southern” diets, which are rich in fried
foods, processed meats and sweetened drinks.
“Nobody has defined dietary patterns in a population like this,” said
Suzanne Judd, assistant professor at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham and study co-author.
The findings are slated for Tuesday presentation at the American Heart
Association meeting in San Diego.
The southern diet probably emerged as a clear trend because the study
included so many participants from the Southeast, Judd added.
In addition to the southern diet, the authors identified four other
eating patterns.
The “traditional” pattern was characterized by a mixed diet of mostly
takeout and prepared foods.
A “healthy” diet was mostly made up of fruits, veggies and grains.
“Sweets” consisted largely of sweet snacks and desserts.
An “alcohol” pattern, which included salads, proteins (and alcohol),
was associated with younger ages and higher socioeconomic status.
The researchers limited their study to black and white adults because
the largest difference in stroke risk exists between these two racial
groups. Previous research has found that black people are three times more
likely to have a stroke than their white counterparts at 45 years of age,
although the gap in risk shrinks in older adults.
People from the Southeast region, known as the “stroke belt,” are also
more likely to suffer a stroke.
The current study involved nearly 22,000 adults, half of whom lived in
the Southeast, representing a range of income and education levels.
Participants filled out a food frequency questionnaire about their diet
over the past year. From these responses, the researchers grouped similar
foods into categories, then looked at how food groups were consumed
together to define dietary patterns. Participants each received a score
reflecting how closely their diet resembled each pattern.
The researchers identified a number of trends, notably that younger age
groups (45-54 years) were more likely than older adults to have a
traditional diet, which features convenient, ready-to-eat foods.
And while black participants were associated with a southern diet,
white people were more likely to have a traditional or sweet diet. These
diet differences could not be explained by income and education
differences alone, Judd said, adding that culture and upbringing probably
play a part in eating habits.
Previous research suggests that one of the major culprits for increased
stroke risk among black people is high blood pressure. The southern diet,
and in particular sodium intake, probably has an effect on stroke risk by
driving up blood pressure, although it may have other important effects,
such as on obesity, Judd said.
“Not maintaining a healthy weight leads to so many problems in terms of
how well blood vessels function,” she explained.
Although studies have explored the intake of individual nutrients, such
as sodium and calcium as well as fats and fiber, among black and white
people, there is a less clear understanding of how overall diet differs
between these groups.
Commenting on the study, Connie Diekman, director of university
nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, said, “We have to start
looking at dietary patterns because it is about the whole of what we do;
it is not single nutrients or single foods that are the cause or the blame
for disease.”
When it comes to helping people change their eating habits, dietary
patterns are also more useful than labeling foods as “good” and “bad,”
Diekman added.
The next step is to look at the relationship between these dietary
patterns and health, in particular stroke risk. “I’ll be surprised if we
don’t see an association,” Judd said.
If further research shows an association, it would provide some foods
to target, similar to how the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention is working to reduce sodium in the food supply, Judd said.
“Even from just what is here [in this study], it certainly will add to
the body of evidence that’s encouraging the change in sodium, portions,
and the increased need for education around nutrition and physical
activity,” Diekman said.
Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and
conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a
peer-reviewed journal.
More information
There’s more on healthy eating at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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