[What constitutes a balanced diet?].
The author cites the influence of both malnourishment and over-nourishment in regards to cardiovascular disease. The effects seen in the elderly are phenomenal. Individual maximal lifespan has been considerably prolonged; as a result, formerly untreatable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders (e.g., coronary artery disease, stroke) have attained primary significance in mortality. The mortality rate has hardly changed, but there is a later occurrence of death. The majority of coronary diseases in the former West Germany occur in the very old. There has been a constant decrease over the last 10 years in mortality from cardiovascular disorders in the age group up to 75 years. This entire development does not allow a correlation with nutritional cholesterol, namely, its being labeled "non-essential". The author describes the principles of a healthy, balanced diet in which, with average physical activity, carbohydrates should represent 57.7%, fats under 30%, and proteins 12.3%.