Functional Food Security for Prevention of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Abstract The world is still ignorant about the role of functional food security which depends on food diversity as well as on adequacy of nutrients. The nutrient adequacy was possibly abundant in the Paleolithic diet 40,000 years ago because of the diversity in food consumption patterns. Therefore, the increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the resultant type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease globally, may be the result of worldwide food security without much consideration for the adverse effects of Westernized type foods, sedentary behavior, and rapid rise in the epidemic of obesity. Further, evidence from prospective observational studies and clinical trials has converged to support the importance of individual nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns in the prevention and management of obesity and metabolic syndrome. The quality of dietary fats and carbohydrates consumed is more crucial than the quantity of these nutrients. Diets rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, moderate in alcohol consumption, and lower in refined grains, red/processed meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Several healthful dietary patterns emphasizing the overall diet quality can be adapted to appropriate personal and cultural food preferences and calorie needs for weight control and management. Considerable progress has been made in developing and implementing evidence-based nutrition recommendations in developed countries, however, concerted global efforts and policies are warranted to alleviate regional disparities. More recent evidence has emphasized that food diversity and greater consumption of functional foods can cause a significant reduction in the epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome, resulting in health promotion. We therefore propose that food diversity by increasing traditional food consumption with a preference for functional foods, in conjunction with moderate physical activity, can protect the physiology and metabolism of the community, resulting in a decrease in the epidemic of obesity and an improvement in world health.