American Medical Association Recommendations: 2023 Health Guidelines

After experiencing the unpredictable 2022, everyone's concern for life and health has reached an unprecedented peak. Those things that were paused, such as long-distance travel, fitness and weight loss, career and love, can also be restarted in the new year.

Maybe you have made crazier plans than in previous years, hoping to regain the freedom and happiness you once had. Maybe in the lively atmosphere of welcoming the new students, you still have a little confusion about the future and worries about life.

But no matter what, I hope you can have a healthy and strong body and enjoy a freer 2023.

Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., president of the American Medical Association, said: Many people make ambitious health plans at the beginning of the new year, expecting to achieve immediate results, but it is often difficult to stick to them. However, the good news is that some seemingly insignificant, positive health choices made in the present can have a profound impact on health [1].

A few days ago, the American Medical Association (AMA) released its 2023 Health Guidelines [1]. These 10 small suggestions are not a big deal, but they contribute significantly to health. I share them with you. Please refer to them according to your actual situation.

1. Eat less processed and ultra-processed foods. In particular, eat less foods with added sodium and sugar, red meat and processed meat, and eat more plant-based foods.

Example of a food processing level map

Since the 1980s, people's diets have changed a lot, with a strong increase in the consumption of industrial products. What these products have in common is that they are highly processed .

Over the past few decades, the consumption of ultra-processed foods has generally increased worldwide, and in some developed countries ultra-processed foods even account for more than half of daily energy intake, while other countries are catching up rapidly (FAO).

What are processed foods and ultra-processed foods?

This is a food classification system developed by Professor Monteiro of the University of São Paulo in Brazil, which divides foods into four groups according to their degree of processing:

Click on the image to enlarge it | References [2]

Processed foods, especially ultra-processed foods, are often high in oil, salt, sugar and calories. The vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber in the food are severely lost during the processing. Frequent consumption can easily cause malnutrition and increase the risk of overweight and obesity, which is a risk factor for many diseases.

It is extremely undesirable to replace regular meals with this kind of food.

A healthy diet should include a variety of foods, with reasonable combinations, to ensure comprehensive nutrition.

References[3]

2. Drink less sugary drinks (beverages with sugar content of more than 5% by weight) and drink more water.

The sugar content of most sugary drinks is between 8-11%, and some are even as high as 13% or more. The sugar content of some freshly made and sold milk teas is between 15-25% [3] .

Sugar content in common beverages (for reference only, please refer to the nutrition label for details) | University of Minnesota

In 2019, the number of deaths caused by sugary drinks in China reached 46,000 , an increase of 95% compared to 1990. Among them, the five provinces with the highest number of deaths caused by excessive intake of sugary drinks were Shandong (4337), Henan (3881), Hebei (3010), Hunan (2762) and Guangdong (2611) (see the figure below).

Number of deaths caused by sugary drinks in various provinces of China in 1990 and 2009 | References [4]

my country's dietary guidelines recommend that the daily intake of added sugars should not exceed 50g, and it is best to control it below 25g. For children and adolescents, sugary drinks are the main source of added sugar.

3. Know your risk of type 2 diabetes.

The current status of diabetes in my country is:

On the one hand, the number of patients is still increasing.

On the other hand, there are still many people who do not realize that they are at high risk of diabetes or are already suffering from diabetes.

According to the results of two large-scale epidemiological surveys in 2010 and 2013, among patients with diabetes diagnosed according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria:

The awareness rates of diabetes were 30.1% and 36.5% respectively.

The treatment rates were 25.8% and 32.2% , respectively.

The control rates were 39.7% and 49.2% respectively. [5]

There has been some improvement, but it is still at a low level, especially in rural areas.

The following two pictures are risk scoring tables for China and the United States, which can be used for self-testing.

Chinese Diabetes Risk Score Table

Total score ≥ 25 points indicates high risk of diabetes | References [5]

Diabetes Risk Score in the United States

Total score ≥ 5 points indicates high risk of diabetes | American Diabetes Association (ADA)

4. Drink in moderation.

Data released by the WHO show that harmful use of alcohol causes about 3 million deaths each year, and the burden of various diseases and injuries caused by alcohol consumption remains ridiculously high. The WHO is currently developing an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement a global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol as a public health priority.

It is best not to drink alcohol. If you have to drink, the recommended amount of alcohol for adults per day is no more than 15g [3].

There are two facts about drinking that need to be recognized:

①There is no safe limit for drinking. Not drinking is better than drinking less, and drinking less is better than drinking more.

②Any form of alcohol is not good for human health.

As the New Year approaches, try to avoid the custom of urging others to drink at the table. Don’t persuade others, and protect yourself from being persuaded.

5. Manage stress. You need: a good diet, at least 7.5 hours of sleep a day, and appropriate exercise and activities, such as yoga or meditation.

6. Quit smoking, including tobacco and secondhand smoke. At the same time, pay attention to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke in homes and cars.

7. Regular physical examinations. Physical examinations can help screen out diseases early, detect them early, and treat them early, which will also achieve better treatment results.

8. Get vaccinated. The whole family should get vaccinated in a timely manner, including influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.

9. Be aware of your blood pressure. Keep your high blood pressure under control, which will help you reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

10. If you are taking prescription opioids or other medications, follow your doctor's instructions to store them safely to prevent accidental ingestion and properly dispose of any remaining medications. Be sure to take antibiotics as directed by your doctor.

2022 is over.

At this moment, you must have deeper thoughts and insights about the future. No matter how life will develop tomorrow, the important thing today is to eat well and enjoy the present moment.

May you and I leave our regrets in 2022 and start a new life as we wish in 2023 in a healthy and comfortable way.

References:

[1]America's doctors offer up healthy resolutions for 2023. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-12-america-doctors-healthy-resolutions.html.

[2]Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. FAO.

[3]Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022).

[4]Yingying Jiang, et al. Study on the death and disease burden caused by high sugar-sweetened beverages intake in China from 1990 to 2019, European Journal of Public Health, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckac067.

[5] Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes in China (2020 edition).