Our Largest Export: Our Leading Causes of Death Part 2

Just over 2 weeks ago, I commented on how one of our leading exports was our leading causes of death.  Now, of course, one can't export death, well not in the sense of heart disease, cancer, stroke & lung disease.  However, when we are looked at as the model of success (at least by most aside from the Middle East), it stands to reason why non-industrialized cultures to emulate our lifestyle.  After all, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Marlboro are some of the most well recognized brands around the world.

So it should come as no surprise, then, that even those who live around the Mediterranean Sea, whose diet we should emulate, have been eating less like their forebears and more like us.  It's this Mediterranean diet that, when consumed regularly, decreases risk of sudden cardiac death in women as noted last week,  amongst many other proven benefits.  Of course, this doesn't make me proud but rather saddened that most global deaths are due to non-communicable diseases from lifestyle choices modeled after our poor habits.

Just as I try to teach my oldest son to be a better example for his younger siblings, industrialized nations should attempt to provide a better example of how to eat in a healthy manner for our non-industrialized neighbors.  Too bad, it's less expensive to eat poorly and more expensive to eat healthily.