Hard times in Cuba linked to better national health
Conclusion
This is an interesting study that appears to show that modest weight loss within a relatively short period across the whole population is associated with a downward trend in diabetes and reductions in death rates from both diabetes and heart disease.
Similarly, weight regain was associated with an increase in diabetes incidence, prevalence and mortality as well as a slowing down in the decline of cardiovascular deaths.
This type of study draws on many different data sources and, as such, there is a possibility of error. Also, as the authors point out, data was missing on diabetes incidence during the crisis years and diabetes incidence showed wide fluctuations in subsequent years.
It is also difficult to conclude that changes in weight are solely responsible for changes in disease rates as other factors may also have a role. For example, smoking slowly decreased in Cuba during the 1990s.
It is not clear if the findings from the paper can be generalised to other countries. Cuba had, and continues to have, a highly centralised system of government where individual autonomy is limited.
To attempt to enforce a nationwide average reduction in body weight in the UK of 5.5kg per person would probably require a degree of social engineering that most people in this country would find intolerable. As the authors point out, an enforced situation of food and fuel shortages is not something anyone would wish to repeat.
While the study reinforces current health messages about t...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Heart/lungs Diabetes Source Type: news
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