Adopting healthy eating habits during middle age increases the chances of healthy aging.
It found that “medium intake of healthy, animal-based foods” and “low intake of ultra-promoting foods” could increase the chances of reaching age 70 with “cognitive, physical and mental health” and major illnesses, according to a new study from Harvard TC Chan School of Public Health.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Montreal also contributed to this study. This study was published in the journal Nature Medicine.
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“Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of a particular disease and how long people live. We ask how diet affects the ability of people to live independently and enjoy quality of life as they age,” co-authors Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Steer, professor of nutrition and epidemiology and chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School, said in a Harvard press release.
Adopting healthy eating habits during middle-age increases the chances of healthy aging, new research has found. (istock)
The researchers analyzed diet and health data for over 105,000 women and men ages 39 to 69 over 30 years, obtained from nurse health surveys and follow-up studies with health professionals.
Based on participants’ self-reported diet, eight different healthy diet plans were given based on their intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts and legumes, and healthy animal-based foods containing fish and specific dairy products were released.
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They also investigated the consumption of participants in ultra-highly processed foods containing added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats.
The diet that most benefited healthy aging was the alternative healthy diet index (AHEI). This is linked to an 86% higher chance of healthy aging at age 70, researchers found.
The diet that most benefits healthy aging was the Alternative Healthy Diet Index (AHEI), which was associated with an 86% higher chance of healthy aging at age 70. (istock)
The diet states that it is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, healthy fats, and is rich in meat with limited red and processed amounts, sugary drinks, sodium and refined grains.
Participants who ate more processed foods had less chance of healthy aging with processed meat and sugary drinks, named the biggest perpetrators.
“There are no meals in all sizes. A healthy diet can be tailored to suit your individual needs and preferences.”
“Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods that include moderately healthy animal-based foods may help promote overall healthy aging and shape future dietary guidelines,” said Martag Ashfele, an associate professor at the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen and an associate professor at the Khalard Chance School of Release.
“Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods that include moderately healthy animal-based foods may help promote overall healthy aging and shape future dietary guidelines,” the researchers said. (istock)
“Our findings also show that there are no meals of all sizes. A healthy diet can be adapted to suit individual needs and preferences,” added Anne-Julie Tessier, assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Montreal and a researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute.
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Shelley Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietitian and expert in the Atlanta metropolitan area, was not involved in the study, but reviewed the findings.
“This data helps to highlight the importance of how to eat throughout your life, especially in middle age.
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“Because the majority of healthcare dollars are spent at the end of our lives, this has a major impact on the likelihood of saving money on costly interventions and has a major impact on improving the quality of life throughout our lives.”
Most of the beneficial diets in this study were primarily plant-based, Collins noted.
Participants who ate more processed foods had less chance of healthy aging with processed meat and sugary drinks, named the biggest perpetrators. (istock)
“They are not all vegetarian or vegan, but they all contain dietary patterns consisting mainly of high foods with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.”
However, she agreed that eating many different types of meals can make people healthy without all sizes of meals.
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“All the health-promoting diets only contain either small amounts of high fat, high sugar, high salt, and ultra-high induction foods,” she said.
The study had several limitations, the researchers acknowledged – primarily it was limited to medical professionals.
Beneficial diets included healthy animal-based foods, such as fish and certain dairy products. (istock)
They said further research is needed to confirm findings in more diverse populations.
Nurses’ health research and follow-up research from health professionals was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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Other support is stated by the Canadian Institute of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, the US Department of Agriculture, the Center for Advanced Translation Science, the National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases, and the Novonordisk Foundation.
Fox News Digital has requested the researchers for comment.
