Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 3, 1 March 1994 — ʻAi pono, e ola [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻAi pono, e ola

Eat right and live well

by Dr. Terry Shintani

Healthy Chinese food?

Is Chinese food good for us? Studies have shown that rates of chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are mueh higher in modernized countries compared to countries whieh have kept tradi-

ūonal dietary pattems. The native Hawaiian people, onee known to be tall, slim, athletic and healthy, today have among the poorest health in the nation. Because diet appears to be a factor in the diseases

that are the leading causes of death in modernized nations, interest is growing in traditional diets as models to prevent and reverse these diseases. Recently, scientists have become interested in the traditional Chinese diet because there is little chronic degenerative disease in most areas of China. In the early 1980s, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and his eol-

leagues at Cornell University conducted a massive study of the diets and disease of 130 eommunities from 65 counties in China. Components of the Chinese diet The traditional Chinese diet centers on rice, and lots of veg-

etables and fruit, but little animal food. Most protein comes from plant sources, an average of 60 grams/day, while animal protein averages about 4.1 grams/day. Total protein represents about 10.5 percent of calories.

Fat intake ranges from 6 to 24 percent, averaging about 14.5 percent of total calories. Fiber intake is mueh greater than in the U.S. and also exceeds intakes recommended by Westem guidelines (24-35 grams/day). Cardiovascular disease The heart disease rate in China is generally low. In some eounties there are no deaths from coronary heart disease. This low

rate of heart disease found in China is likely due to very low serum cholesterol levels, probably a result of the low fat, low saturated fat, low cholesterol Chinese diet. The average semm cholesterol for the 65 counties studied is 1 27 mg/dl with a range from 88 to 165 mg/dl (Campbell). This is remarkable when you consider that in the U.S„ cholesterol levels average over 200 mg/dl. Cancer Overall cancer mortality rates for Chinese are relatively low. Comparative mortality for different types of cancer shows mueh higher rates in China for esophageal cancer, stomach eancer and liver cancer. It is mueh lower than in the U.S. for eolon cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. Low cancer rates in China are attributed to low intake of fat, and animal food. and also the high intake of starchy foods, vegetables and fruit, all of whieh contain high levels of anti-oxi-dants and fiber. Anti-oxidants

that seem to be helpful in preventing cancer and heart disease include vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin E and selenium. There are many other less eommon antioxidants as well. This doesn't mean that the foods found in a Chinese restaurant are particularly healthy, however. Most of the foods found in Chinese restaurants are not like traditional foods eaten in most of China. Many Chinese restaurant dishes are very high in animal fat, such as dishes eontaining beef, pork and duck, and prepared deep-fried or stir-fried. For example, fried rice ean be as high as 8.9 grams and 33 percent fat per one-eup portion, and ehow mein (fried noodles) ean be as high as 13.8 grams or 51 percent fat in a one-eup portion. This China diet study shows

that the true traditional diet of China, whieh is low-fat and high in vegetable content, is associated with less chronic disease. It supports the idea that eating in a similar way will help prevent or even reverse many illnesses without medication. You may or may not be surprised to find that the traditional Chinese diet is very similar in nutrient content to the traditional Hawaiian diet, and thus this suggests that the Hawaiian diet ean have the same impact in preventing disease. Dr. Terry Shintani, physician anā nutritionist, is the director of preventive meāieine at the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. A majority of its board and its approximately 20,000 clients are of Hawaiian ancestry.

POPULATION DEATH RATES (per 100,000) Heart disease Cancer Men, Women (age 35-64) Men, Women (age 35-64) China 11.5 9,5 China 112 67.3 US 198 56 U.S. 132 132