Eating more sardines and less red meat could save the lives of up to 750,000 people

The study released on Tuesday is an analysis of data led by the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba (Japan), which adds that the prevalence of disabilities caused by diet-related diseases could be significantly reduced.

The potentially avoidable deaths worldwide would be related, in particular, to coronary heart diseases, and would also save between 8 and 15 million years of life with disability, the majority of which are concentrated in low- and middle-income countries.

Forage fish can only replace a small portion, about 8%, of the world's red meat due to their limited supply, but they can increase global per capita daily fish consumption to near the recommended level, as well as reduce deaths from coronary heart disease. Strokes, diabetes and bowel cancer by 2% by 2050.

Adopting this type of diet would be “particularly beneficial” for low- and middle-income countries, where such fish are cheap and plentiful, and where the number of heart diseases, in particular, is high.

The research published by BMH Global Health is based on databases on red meat forecasts for 2050 in 137 countries and historical data on forage fish catches in marine habitats.

There is growing evidence linking red and processed meat consumption to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, which were responsible for approximately 70% of all deaths worldwide in 2019.

The study states that coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and bowel cancer account for nearly half (44%), with coronary heart disease representing the majority.

Forage marine fish are rich in long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the consumption of which can prevent coronary heart disease, and are also abundant in calcium and vitamin B12.

Additionally, it has the lowest carbon footprint of all animal feed sources.

Currently, the researchers noted, three-quarters of the catch, including a significant amount caught off the coast of countries suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition, is crushed to obtain fishmeal and fish oil, which are used, above all, in fish farming. For high purposes. income countries.

For landlocked countries, the study indicates a need to expand global marketing and trade in forage fish.