Eating healthily in middle age can lead to a longer life, according to a recent study from the Harvard T.C. Chan School of Public Health. The study suggests that adopting healthy eating habits during middle age can increase the chances of healthy aging, with good cognitive, physical, and mental health and a reduced risk of major diseases at age 70. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Montreal also collaborated on the study, published in Nature Medicine.
The study analyzed data from over 105,000 women and men aged 39 to 69 over a 30-year period. Participants were scored on their adherence to eight different healthy eating plans, based on their consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes, and certain healthy animal-based foods like fish and dairy products. The study also looked at participants’ consumption of ultraprocessed foods high in added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
The researchers found that the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) was the most beneficial diet for healthy aging, associated with an 86% higher likelihood of healthy aging at 70 years old. This diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy fats while limiting intake of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium, and refined grains.
Participants who consumed more ultraprocessed foods were less likely to experience healthy aging, with processed meats and sugary beverages identified as significant contributors to poor health outcomes. The researchers concluded that diets rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, could promote overall healthy aging and inform future dietary guidelines.
Lead author Anne-Julie Tessier, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Montreal and a researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute, emphasized the importance of tailoring diets to individual needs and preferences. Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietitian from the Atlanta metropolitan area, highlighted the findings regarding the impact of diet on healthy aging.
Collins noted that the study revealed the significance of lifelong eating habits, particularly in midlife, for maintaining health in later years. She stressed that adopting predominantly plant-based diets was associated with healthy aging, while individuals consuming more processed foods were less likely to age healthily. Processed meat and sugary or diet beverages were identified as major contributors to unhealthy aging.
The study underscored the importance of diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, legumes, nuts, and seeds for promoting health. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to diet, the exclusion or minimal consumption of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, and ultra-processed foods was suggested as a common characteristic of health-promoting diets, regardless of specific dietary preferences.
Although the study primarily involved health professionals, further research with diverse populations is needed to validate the findings. Additional support for the study was provided by various organizations, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more health-related articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
