African diet reverses inflammation in just two weeks, while Western food triggers disease markers

According to a breakthrough study published in Nature Medicine, the transition from a traditional African diet to a Western food lasted for two weeks, triggering inflammation, a weakened immune response and activates the activation process in men associated with the disease. Instead, urban residents who adopt a traditional plant-based African diet see significant anti-inflammatory benefits.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Radboud University Medical Center and the KCMC University in Tanzania, is a comprehensive study of the first comprehensive study of how dietary changes affect our immune system and metabolism, and has potential long-term effects on chronic disease risk.

“Only two weeks of switching from a traditional African diet to a Western diet can cause inflammation, reduce the immune response to pathogens, and activate processes related to lifestyle diseases,” the research team noted in the research team published in Natural Medicine in Natural Medicine.

This dietary survey is a surge in Africa, including lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic inflammatory diseases. As the economy develops, urbanization and the wider availability of processed foods has accelerated the adoption of Western dietary habits, and health researchers are trying to document the impact of these changes.

The researchers recruited 77 healthy Tanzanian men from rural and urban areas. Some participants who traditionally ate an African diet switched to a Western diet for two weeks, while some participants who ate an Western diet adopted a traditional African diet. The third group consumes a traditional fermented banana drink called “Mbege” every day. Blood samples were analyzed before and after, four weeks before the dietary intervention.

The results are surprising. Men who switched to Western diets gained weight, showing an increase in inflammatory proteins in the blood. Their immune cells respond less to pathogens. During the two-week Western dietary intervention, some participants gained up to 2.6 kg (5.7 lbs).

Perhaps most worrying is that even four weeks after returning to normal dietary patterns, some negative changes remain, suggesting that even short-term dietary changes can have lasting effects.

The traditional African diet in this study is based primarily on plant-based, rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and fermented foods. In contrast, Western diets include processed and high-calorie foods such as fries, white bread, fried chicken and foods with high salt, refined sugar and saturated fat.

“The African diet includes a large amount of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and fermented foods. Our research highlights the benefits of these traditional foods in the body’s inflammation and metabolic processes,” said Quirijn de Mast, an internist at Radboudumc. “At the same time, we show how harmful an unhealthy western diet can be.”

The fermented banana drink group also showed positive effects with reduced inflammatory markers. Traditional beverages are fermented with finger millet, which contains beneficial microorganisms and biologically active compounds.

De Mast found that the impact after such a brief intervention was very important. “Inflammation is the root of many chronic diseases, which also makes this study highly relevant to Western countries.”

Studies have shown that diet-induced molecular and cellular changes affect multiple biological systems. Western dietary consumption increases leukocyte count and activated immune cells, potentially laying the foundation for chronic inflammation. This inflammation is associated with heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Participants who switched to an African diet or consuming fermented beverages showed a decrease in inflammatory markers and positive changes in metabolic pathways associated with health protection.

There is an increasing scientific interest in traditional global diets, and this discovery stems from all over the world. Although extensive research has been conducted on the Mediterranean and Japanese diets, this study represents the first comprehensive mapping of the health effects of traditional African diets.

“Learning from traditional African diets, especially now, lifestyles are changing rapidly in many African regions, and lifestyle diseases are increasing,” De Mast notes. “Africa’s rich diversity in traditional diets provides unique opportunities to gain valuable insights into how food affects health.”

As Western-style eating habits continue to spread around the world, this study highlights the potential value of preserving and promoting local dietary practices. Researchers believe that combining traditional dietary elements can help fight the rising trend of chronic diseases, not only in Africa but globally.

This study represents a collaborative effort between Radboudumc and KCMC University, as well as other international partners from Bonn and Florence. The study was funded by Zonmw/JPI-HDHL.