At the first DGA published during a global pandemic, it would be thought that COVID-19 would have transmission time. Unfortunately, he only got one sentence. I know most of us are ready to see the coronavirus in the rearview mirrors, but it’s not history yet.
The last ten months have shown us real-time scientific discoveries, relating preventable nutrition problems (e.g., vitamin D deficiency) to COVID-19. And given that immunity is the top priority, I think it’s a fault Dietary guidelines he did not take the opportunity to inform Americans of the links between nutrition and immune function. The singular mention in the DGA explains that “people living with chronic diet-related illnesses and diseases are at a higher risk of developing serious diseases resulting from the new coronavirus.”
However, I am grateful that the DGAC (remember, they wrote the much shorter 835-page scientific report to inform the DGA), adds more color to the problem and calls for two simultaneous epidemics in our country: “These parallel epidemics, a non-infectious (obesity and chronic diet-related diseases) and infectious (COVID-19) appear to be synergistic. ”
Schneeman explains that the committee faced a logistical and temporary challenge: “The COVID-19 pandemic arose as the committee went through its final stages of work.” She went on to say that “as a committee, we were surprised by the vulnerability of people with chronic diet-related diseases (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) to the more severe outcomes of virus infection. moreover, disruptions due to the pandemic have led to food insecurity and hunger, and increased challenges to making healthy dietary decisions. ”
DGAC member Regan Bailey, Ph.D., MPH, RD, echoes this paradox, sharing that while “nutrition is critical for immune defense and resistance to pathogens, both malnutrition how overnutrition can impair immune function “. (Bailey is a professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at Purdue University, as well as director of the Purdue Diet Evaluation Center.)
At mindbodygreen, we recently explored malnutrition in the complex problem of food insecurity, as well as malnutrition (and unhealthy nutritional patterns) in the synergy between metabolic health and immunity.
Based on these ideas, I believe that adopting healthy nutritional patterns, supporting food safety initiatives, addressing nutrient deficiencies, and maximizing other lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, sleep, etc.) are powerful. levers we can choose to improve metabolic health, and therefore our immune system.
In fact, Linda Van Horn, a DGAC member, PhD, RDN, LD, professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University and head of the nutrition division at the Feinberg School of Medicine, underscores the fact that, “now more than ever , the importance of healthy eating, weight control and the prevention of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases is a globally recognized goal. “
Ultimately, dive deeper into the nutrition / immune system relationship in the Dietary guidelines passed to the next iteration (2025-2030). Meanwhile, Donovan shares these helpful ideas: “A healthy immune system depends on a proper intake of many nutrients, proteins, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially omega-3s), vitamins (e.g., vitamin C, and fat-soluble) vitamins. A, D and E) and minerals (for example, iron and zinc). ”
In addition to these macro and micronutrients, Donovan explains that “the best place to get nutrients that support immunity is whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, which provide dietary fiber and phytonutrients that benefit the gut microbiome and function. immune “.