Abstract
In a relatively short timeframe, millions of deaths and illnesses associated with COVID-19 have been reported, accompanied by substantial economic losses, and overall, negatively impacting society. This experience should serve as a wakeup call to those in public health and healthcare, along with politicians and citizens: COVID-19 is considered a predictable and preventable disaster. While various reactive responses to address the pandemic were implemented, some with adverse effects, proactive measures in the years before COVID-19 were neglected. Predominately this involved the development of a preventable overfat pandemic, which played a key role in both rising rates of chronic disease, the comorbidities that increase the risk for COVID-19, along with associated inflammation and malnutrition. This increased the risk of infection in billions of people worldwide, which, in essence, primed society for high rates of COVID-19 infection. Excess body fat evolves primarily from poor nutrition, particularly the overconsumption of sugar and other refined carbohydrates, which replace the vital nutrients needed for optimal immune function. Sugar and refined carbohydrates must be considered the new tobacco, as these foods are also devoid of nutrients, and underly inflammatory chronic diseases. A balanced diet of nutrient-dense wholefood must be emphasized to combat infectious and inflammatory diseases. Implementing proactive preventive lifestyle changes must begin now, starting with simple, safe, and inexpensive dietary modifications that can quickly lead to a healthier population.
Highlights
Individuals with health risk factors, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, poor nutrition, and obesity, develop, on average, significantly more chronic disease than those with low risk
One could argue that preventive measures with a focus on improving health could have potentially accomplished the same, only better, as the strategy is cheaper, and could help prevent or reduce the severity of a pandemic
Whether we waited too long to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, or not, we still must consider what proactive, preventable approaches could have better influenced such a familiar and predictable disaster, as medical and public health communities have long warned of the potential for such a pandemic [94]
Summary
Individuals with health risk factors, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, poor nutrition, and obesity, develop, on average, significantly more chronic disease than those with low risk. Simple dietary recommendations could serve as a significant lifestyle change appropriate for an unhealthy overfat population with rising chronic disease and healthcare costs, increasing rates of infections, and a vulnerability for future infectious pandemics. We are suggesting that global public health guidelines prioritize addressing current and future infectious conditions, chronic disease, and the overfat pandemic, and recovery from COVID-19, as an all-inclusive, simple, less expensive, and effective recommendation through healthy dietary habits. This can be accomplished with a consensus to approach the problem not unlike tobacco, as a product that seriously impairs population heath and the economy. Another benefit of reducing sugar and other refined carbohydrates is that junk food can replace many other nutrient-dense foods that would typically provide a wide range of natural macro-, micro, and phytonutrients, and otherwise impair one’s nutritional status
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