Western diet – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

Most people only consume about half of the recommended amount of dietary fibre, and it can negatively affect overall health. (Shutterstock)

January 21, 2024

Dietary fibre affects more than your colon: How the immune system, brain and overall health benefit too

Mark Wulczynski, McMaster University

Fibre isn’t just associated with colon health; it’s associated with overall health and brain health through the gut-brain axis. But not all fibres are created equal.

You can change your gut microbiome composition by eating different foods. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images

January 31, 2023

Microbes in your food can help or hinder your body’s defenses against cancer – how diet influences the conflict between cell ‘cooperators’ and ‘cheaters’

Gissel Marquez Alcaraz, Arizona State University and Athena Aktipis, Arizona State University

Cancer cells are ‘cheaters’ that do not cooperate with the rest of the body. Certain microbes in your diet can either protect against or promote tumor formation by influencing cell cooperation.

Early-onset colorectal cancer rates have been increasing since the 1990s. kajakiki/E+ via Getty Images

December 9, 2021

Colorful sweets may look tasty, but some researchers question whether synthetic dyes may pose health risks to your colon and rectum

Lorne J. Hofseth, University of South Carolina

Sixty percent of the Standard American Diet consists of ultra-processed food, which isn’t great for colon health. Researchers are looking into whether artificial food colors play a role.

April 22, 2021

Clear evidence for a link between pro-inflammatory diets and 27 chronic diseases. Here’s how you can eat better

Meghan Hockey, Deakin University and Wolfgang Marx, Deakin University

Our research provides clear evidence pro-inflammatory diets are linked to poor health, including heart attacks, bowel cancer and depression.

Eating a typical Western diet high in fat and sugar is bad for our memory, including remembering whether or not we’re full. from www.shutterstock.com.au

April 25, 2016

High fat and sugar diets stop us from feeling full

Heather Francis, Macquarie University

When we eat a meal, we take for granted that we should feel full afterwards. But eating a diet high in sugar and fat makes it harder for our body to tell if we are full or not.

Advice to favour plant-based foods and reduce meat intake should now be considered part of healthy dietary advice given by doctors and nutritionists. Marc Phu/Flickr

March 6, 2015

More than one good reason for eating mainly plant foods

Malcolm Forbes, James Cook University and Rosemary Stanton, UNSW Sydney

The high meat intake in Western countries is not only bad for waistlines but also for the environment.

A Western diet may be negatively affecting your brain not just your belly. Jams

January 20, 2015

Fat and sugar-heavy diet harms your brain – and makes you keep on eating

Terry Davidson, American University and Camille Sample, American University

Do you eat only when you’re actually hungry? Many of us eat even when our bodies don’t need food. Just the thought of food entices us to eat. We think about food when we see other people eating, when we…

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