Must Read: Death Caused By Heart Disease, Stroke, Type 2 Diabetes Linked To Diet

Almost 50 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2012 that were caused by heart disease, stroke, and type two diabetes might be due to diet. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health funded the study, which was published in JAMA on March 7.

The 2012 study involved 702,308 adult deaths that are due to cardiometabolic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Of that, 318,656, or about 45 percent was linked to insufficient intake of foods and nutrients, Science Daily reported. A right amount of diet is considered essential for healthy living while over-consumption of unhealthy foods are harmful.

The foods and nutrients that were long-associated with affecting cardiometabolic health must be avoided. These include too much consumption of sodium, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages and unprocessed red meats.

In the 2012 study, it indicates that the casualties didn't consume sufficient healthy foods. These comprise of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, polyunsaturated fats and seafood omega-3 fats.

The study also presents that the ratio of deaths linked with diet differs from one population to another. Like, for example, the death rates were elevated among men than in women; among blacks and Hispanics as contrasted to whites. The proportion of death connected with diet also varied among those less-educated individuals than their professional counterparts.

"These results should help identify priorities, guide public health planning, and inform strategies to alter dietary habits and improve health." The authors noted in their conclusion. The research findings were derived from the death certificate data gathered by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ultimately, the majority of deaths were associated with high sodium (salt) consumption, Live Science reported.

The researchers also discovered that deaths attributed with diets such as high sugar-sweetened beverages, insufficient nuts and seeds, and polyunsaturated fats lowered between 2002 and 2012. However, deaths related to factors such as sodium and unprocessed red meats were elevated over the same time.