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Typical staples of a western diet such as diet soft drinks, red meats, and fried foods significantly increase your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease according to a recent study.

The study, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that as little as two servings of red or processed meat a day and one diet soft drink can dramatically raise an individuals risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is the collective name for the presence of several health factors such as elevated blood pressure, low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, high fasting blood glucose levels (a precursor for diabetes), elevated triglyceride levels, and a large waist circumference. A person that has three or more of these factors is considered to have metabolic syndrome.

The presence of metabolic syndrome in an individual significantly increases their likelihood of developing diabetes and/or heart disease.

Those who ate two or more servings of meat a day were at a 26% increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Interestingly diet sodas increased metabolic syndrome risk by 35% while consumption of regular soft drinks had no impact on the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

According to research leader Dr Lyn Steffen: “after adjusting for demographic factors, smoking, physical activity and energy intake, consumption of a Western dietary pattern was adversely associated with metabolic syndrome.”

Dietitians recommend individuals should adjust their diet away from traditional western foods such as refined grains, processed meats, red meat, fried food and, full fat dairy products towards more healthy options such as fruit ,vegetables, fish and other seafood, skinless chicken, whole grains and low fat dairy products.

It is thought that as many as a quarter of all Americans could have metabolic syndrome and if current health trends continue, as much as half the population could have the condition by 2020.