Compared to Americans, people in other countries often suffer from fewer chronic health conditions. Research indicates better diets play a key role.

When it comes to health, the American diet leaves a lot to be desired. Its high levels of fat, fried foods, salt, and meat increase our risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions.

Meanwhile, people around the world who stick with meals rich in fresh fruits and vegetables tend to have lower rates of these diseases.

One of the most telling studies to bear this out was published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers looked at the dietary habits of people living in 52 countries. Here’s what they found:

• People who ate a typical Western diet—marked by a lot of fried foods, salty snacks, eggs, and meat—had a 35 percent higher risk for heart attack than people who consumed little or no fried foods and meat.
• People who ate lots of fruits and vegetables—a so-called “prudent” diet—had a 30 percent lower risk for heart attack compared to those who ate little or no fruits and vegetables.
• An Oriental diet, with healthy elements that may have been offset by high levels of salty soy sauces, had no effect on heart attack risk.

Here’s how to make a few changes suggested by this and other studies that can give your daily food choices a tasty international flavor while improving your health.

Check Out the Med
In more than a dozen countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the heart disease rate is lower than that of the U.S. Each of these countries has its own customs, agriculture, ethnic mix, religions, and economy— making the notion of a single diet from the region hard to digest.

Even though typical French fare differs from that of Greece or Italy, you can reap the benefits of characteristics shared by eating habits in many of these nations:

• Consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds.
• Cook with olive oil rather than butter and other solid saturated fats.
• Eat less red meat as you increase your consumption of fish and poultry.
• Limit consumption of high-fat dairy foods and eggs.
• Eat whole-grain breads and cereals.
• Enjoy smaller portions.
• Eat less processed meat.
• Season food with herbs and spices instead of salt.
• Have a glass or two of red wine with dinner, if you like.

Figure in the French Paradox
In recent years, the French diet has drawn attention because of the “French paradox.” Although the French eat more fat than Americans, they’re more likely to stay at a healthy weight and less likely to suffer from heart disease and cancer.

The reasons appear to include their high consumption of fruits and vegetables, moderate use of alcohol, an absence of snacking, and modest portions of food compared to the enormous meals served in America.

Assimilate Some Asian Fare
Japanese, Chinese, and Thai meals include plenty of vegetables, seafood, soy, and rice. The Chinese diet, for instance, is loaded with plant-based foods, with limited amounts of fish and poultry. Red meat is a rarity.

When it comes to healthy habits, keep in mind that your diet isn’t the only factor. People in the Mediterranean area, for example, may benefit from being more physically active than Americans. Broader social support networks in some Mediterranean nations may also play a part.

By Barbara Floria, senior writer for Vitality. For more information, visit the American Heart Association at www.americanheart.org.

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