Midlife Eating Patterns Tied to Health Decades Later
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As the U.S. population ages, there’s growing interest in protecting physical, mental and cognitive health in later years. There’s a need for research that examines the links between dietary patterns and healthy aging, including the long-term impact of midlife food choices.
A research team examined data gathered in two long-term studies of health and lifestyle. They assessed participant data every four years beginning in 1986 for up to 30 years. Participants were excluded if they had a serious chronic disease at the start. The final study population included about 70,000 women and 35,000 men. Results appeared in Nature Medicine.
Researchers first examined how closely each participant’s self-reported eating patterns adhered to eight different healthy diet patterns. Among these were the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, the NIH-supported DASH diet, the MIND diet, the Planetary Health Diet Index and a Mediterranean diet.
The scientists also considered consumption of ultra-processed foods, which typically contain industrially manufactured ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, flavoring agents, unhealthy fats and emulsifiers.
The team then assessed the associations between adherence to each diet and healthy aging at age 70 or older. They found that over 9% of participants had achieved healthy aging, meaning they were free of major chronic disease and had positive measures of cognitive, physical and mental health.
The participants who had most closely followed the Alternative Healthy Eating Index were most likely to have healthy aging by age 70. Participants who followed any of the other healthy eating patterns also boosted their odds of healthy aging.
Regardless of diet, people who ate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy were more likely to have healthy aging. Healthy aging was less likely in those who ate more trans fats, salt, sugary drinks and red or processed meats. Eating more ultra-processed foods reduced chances of healthy aging by 32%. —adapted from NIH Research Matters