Diet for longer life

Press, 7 June 1982, Page 10

Diet for longer life

NZPA London A proper diet can add 15 .’/ears to a man's three score years and ten, according to a group of world heart specialists meeting in London. They recommended: '® Eat less meat, particularly fatty meat, and eat fish instead, with plenty of vegetables and fruit. 9 Cut down on salt, and lose weight. 9 Don't smoke, and keep to a maximum of two drinks a day. * ® Don’t go to work on an egg — go on a bicycle instead. “If we could conquer cancer and heart disease then the average age at death would be 85," said Dr William Castelli, of Massachusetts. “We cannot cure cancer, but we do know how to prevent heart attacks.” Cholesterol was part of the trouble, he said, and eggs were one food particularly rich in it. It was a necessary part of body tissue but almost everyone had too much. Dr Paul Leren, of Oslo, said the United States had cut is heart death rate by almost 28 per cent between 1970 and 1977, though it was still 267 per 100,000. The countries with the worst record were Northern Ireland, where the death rate had risen from 317 to 3b6 per 100.000 m the seven years, and Scotland where it had gone up from 343 to 345.

i In Vietnam, with its quite j different way of life, said Dr j Castelli, death from heart i attacks was virtually nil. - Dr Norman Miller, of St Thomas’ Hospital. London, said people should also take more exercise. t “It has to be strenuous , exercise, not strolling around a golf course — really vigor- , ous running, or cycling to work instead of going by car, ( where possible." But is living to 85 really worth the effort? ! “One school of thought be- , lieves that if we conquered cancer and heart attacks. . suicide would take over as the main cause of death," said Dr Miller.