But he pointed out that statins would not affect all the negative effects of an unhealthy diet.
The prevalence of diseases related to an unhealthy diet and lifestyle is also on the rise, the government said.
Those who watch huge amounts of TV are also probably more likely to have an unhealthy diet and be overweight.
Shift workers are also more likely to eat an unhealthy diet (high in carbohydrates and fats) or smoke to compensate for their lack of sleep.
FORBES: Shift Work Can Lead to Increased Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
The singing was for a large part, painfully out of tune and we were fed the usual unhealthy diet of "how to make a Pop Star in 13 weeks".
Ms Ferguson also stressed that health professionals are often reluctant to talk frankly with expectant mothers about behaviours, such as smoking and having an unhealthy diet, which can put unborn children at risk.
Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90% of diabetes cases, can be caused or exacerbated by a unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and being overweight although this is not always the case as some sufferers have a genetic vulnerability.
But excited researchers say that apo E is rapidly emerging as the first-found of a set of mysterious genes that roughly determine how long a person will live, provided he or she escapes an "unnatural" death from bacteria and viruses, war, accidents, unhealthy diet, smoking or other environmental happenstance.
WSJ: A Gene Gives a Hint Of How Long a Person Might Hope to Live
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' lobby group Forest, said it was important to take into consideration the fact that many smokers tended to lead a generally unhealthy lifestyle, eating a poor diet, and not taking exercise.
Throughout most of the 20th century, marketing was the determining factor in the diet of the developed world, with healthy and unhealthy foods being equally touted.
"The study also reinforces what has been identified by previous research, that stress at work is often associated with unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, lack of exercise and a poor diet - all which can impact on heart health, " said June Davison.
Those who can't be bothered with diet and exercise can pop pills to counteract the effects of their unhealthy habits.
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