Consistently eating seven key foods can pave the way to a disease-free 70s, a new study suggests.
The participants who adhered most closely to these dietary components from their forties onwards were in tip-top shape compared to those who didn’t.
Underscoring the importance of a healthy diet, the study also found that fewer than one in 10 people were able to live free of disease and maintain good physical and mental health, and the ability to think, learn, and remember clearly to 70 and beyond.
In light of their findings, the researchers say dietary recommendations should consider promoting overall healthy ageing as a long-term goal.
Researchers say dietary recommendations should consider promoting overall healthy ageing as a long-term goal
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The winning ingredients
The study found that higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy were associated with greater odds of healthy ageing.
The effect was not small either – people who followed a healthy diet from their forties onwards were 43 to 84 percent more likely to be well-functioning physically and mentally at age 70 compared to those who did not, the research found.
Eating more trans fat, sodium, total meats, red and processed meats was associated with lower odds of healthy ageing.
The researchers say their study is unique in its focus on healthy ageing — defined not just as the absence of disease but the ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as we grow older.
Anne-Julie Tessier, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, in the US, said: “Traditionally, research and derived dietary guidelines have focused on preventing chronic diseases like heart disease.
“Our study provides evidence for dietary recommendations to consider not only disease prevention but also promoting overall healthy ageing as a long-term goal.”
How the researchers gathered their findings
The findings are based on data from more than 100,000 people spanning 30 years.
People were at least 39-years-old and free of chronic diseases at the start of the study and provided information about their diet through questionnaires every four years.
As of 2016, nearly half of the people in the study had died and some 9.2 percent survived to age 70 or older while maintaining freedom from chronic diseases and good physical, cognitive and mental health.
Doctor Tessier said a finding that stood out was the association between the planetary health diet and healthy ageing, which was associated with a 68 percent greater chance of healthy ageing.
She explained: “This diet is based on the EAT Lancet Commission’s report which emphasises fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, plant proteins and healthy fats from sustainable sources.
“The fact that it emerged as one of the leading dietary patterns associated with healthy ageing is particularly interesting because it supports that we can eat a diet that may benefit both our health and the planet.”
According to the findings, presented at Nutrition 2024, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, the ties between diet and healthy ageing remained strong even when physical activity and other factors that are known to impact health were taken into account.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to slash the risk of chronic disease in numerous studies
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A familiar story
The findings are encouraging but not surprising.
Many of these components are found in the Mediterranean diet, which has been consistently shown to slash the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, and even forestall cognitive decline.
In a new study, the popular dietary plan has even been linked to a lower risk of mortality in cancer survivors.
According to the research, people diagnosed with any type of tumour, who had a high adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in the year preceding their enrollment into the study, live longer and have a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, compared to those with lower adherence to this diet.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
