Impact of Food Regulation on Chronic Disease

Strict governmental regulation of food safety and marketing could reduce the incidence of chronic diseases in the population by up to 70%. The contamination of food by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and mycotoxins are a major concern in many countries. Shelf-life of various food products need to be tested to prevent LPS and mycotoxin contamination in food to prevent various chronic diseases. 

RELEVANT REFERENCES

1.                  Overnutrition Determines LPS Regulation of Mycotoxin Induced Neurotoxicity in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci.2015;16(12): 29554–29573.

2.                  Functional Foods and Active molecules with relevance to Health and Chronic disease: Editorial. Functional Foods in Health and Disease 2017; 7(10): 833-836.

3.                  Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides and Neuron Toxicity in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Neurology Research and Surgery. 2018; 1(1): 1-3.

4.                  Sharma, A and IJ Martins. The role of Microbiota in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Scientific Nutritional Health. 7.7 (2023): 108-118.

5.                  Food Quality and Advances in Pharmacological Management Prevent Mitochondrial Apoptosis and Epilepsy Induced Stroke. Research and Reveiws: Neuroscience. 2018;2:7-9.

6.                  Food quality induces a miscible disease with relevance to Alzheimer’s disease and Neurological diseases.  J Food Research, vol. 5, pp.45-52, 2016.

I cannot give an exact number, but in my opinion, it is much lower than the effect of education and increasing public awareness about the risks of certain foods on chronic diseases. I am not sure what you mean by cultural factors, but they are also dependent on the level of education and awareness. Governmental rules only have a significant effect when community wants and admits them.

Strict government rules on food safety and marketing can help reduce chronic diseases like diabetes and heart problems, especially by limiting unhealthy ingredients and misleading marketing promotions. However, the impact depends on people’s eating habits, awareness, and culture. In some countries, it could reduce disease by up to 70%, but in others, the effect may be less. So, cultural factors play a big role.

Minimal effect.  Food "safety" regulation is more likely to impact acute illnesses.  Marketing regulation may give the consumer more information about those aspects which do lead to chronic conditions.  Personally, I'm going to eat those Oreos, regardless of labeling.  I'll wash them down with skim milk to feel better about myself.

Answer: It hinges on cultural considerations.

While firm government regulation of food safety and advertising can in fact curb the incidence of chronic conditions—like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer—its reach is, to a great degree, subject to cultural, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors of a population.