27/12/2023
A new study published in Nature Food reveals that a person may be able to extend their life by nearly ten years if they make the change from an unhealthy to a good diet in middle age. The study analyzed data from 467,354 participants in the UK Biobank and applied a model to evaluate how changes in lifestyle could affect life expectancy.
According to the findings, individuals in their 40s may add approximately 10 years to their life expectancy by switching from an unhealthy diet to one linked with longevity. The results of the study demonstrated that life expectancy increases significantly with the timing of dietary modifications, with whole grains, nuts, and fruits being important contributors. The study, which was carried out by the Universities of Bergen, Norway, and Glasgow, Scotland, showed that a diet high in milk, dairy, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, and moderate in whole grains, fruit, fish, and white meat, is linked to longevity.
It also includes minimal consumption of processed meat and refined carbohydrates, as well as comparatively low intakes of eggs, red meat, and beverages with added sugar. This dietary pattern is consistent with the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes whole foods and limits processed and sugary meals in order to promote overall health.
The study found that while processed meat and beverages with added sugar were linked to greater death rates, whole grains, nuts, and fruits were associated with the greatest increases in life expectancy. The researchers modified their model to take socioeconomic position and smoking habits into consideration after realizing that their results only showed association, not causality.
However, they acknowledged the probable variation in dietary habits over time as a drawback and pointed out that the UK Biobank did not monitor rice consumption, a crucial nutritional component for many migrant groups.
