Dietary adherence’s relation to hypertension in SA black population
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Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs), which include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and respiratory diseases, will be responsible for 69% of all global deaths by 2030 with the greatest increases in low-income and middle income countries. Risk factors for CNCDs include alcohol and tobacco use, as well as an increased energy intake coupled with a decrease in physical activity.
Guidelines such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Mediterranean diet and Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been proven to decrease risk for CNCDs when adhered to. The South African Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (SAFBDG) were developed and first published in 2001 in an attempt to address malnutrition and diet-related diseases. These guidelines, specifically developed for the South African population, were recently revised to include the latest scientific evidence and to address feedback received from users to reduce the risk of guidelines being misinterpreted.