This is 40 — eating thoughtfully to age gracefully.
People who eat nutritiously in their 40s and beyond are 43% to 84% more likely to be in good physical and mental health at 70 compared to those who do not, new research finds.
“People who adhered to healthy dietary patterns in midlife, especially those rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, were significantly more likely to achieve healthy aging,” said Anne-Julie Tessier, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. “This suggests that what you eat in midlife can play a big role in how well you age.”
106,000 adults answered questions about their diet every four years for the study, which began in 1986.
Participants were at least 39 years old and free of chronic diseases at the start of the research.
Nearly half of the study volunteers had died by 2016 — only 9.2% survived to 70 or older while being in good physical, cognitive and mental shape.
Eight dietary patterns revealed the greatest odds of healthy aging:
Overall, the researchers found that prioritizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy instead of trans fat, sodium and meat — especially red and processed meats — improves your chances of aging well.
Tessier presented the findings Tuesday at NUTRITION 2024, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.
The research follows a study last month that warned that obesity rates are expected to jump from 43.1% to 60.6% of the population because of unhealthy diets.
Tessier says her team’s work is unique because it explores the ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life in later years — not just on disease.
“Traditionally, research and derived dietary guidelines have focused on preventing chronic diseases like heart disease,” Tessier said. “Our study provides evidence for dietary recommendations to consider not only disease prevention but also promoting overall healthy aging as a long-term goal.”
