The top nutrition-related cause of death in the United States is cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is strongly linked to poor diet and malnutrition. Poor diet is identified as the leading cause of mortality in the U.S., directly contributing to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, some cancers, and especially cardiovascular disease
. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death overall, accounting for approximately 695,000 deaths in 2021 and continuing to rise, with diet being a major modifiable risk factor
. Diet-related diseases, driven by unhealthy eating patterns including high consumption of ultra-processed foods, are responsible for more deaths than smoking in the U.S.
. Malnutrition and related conditions like sarcopenia also increase cardiovascular mortality risk significantly
. In summary, poor diet leading to cardiovascular disease is the foremost nutrition-related cause of death in the U.S., with millions affected and over 600,000 deaths annually attributed to it
