NBC News
Following a healthy diet, mainly based on plants, with a minimum of ultraprocessed foods and low or moderate amounts of animal foods such as fish and dairy, can increase the possibilities of reaching 70 years without developing a chronic disease, according to a new study.
The investigation, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, analyzed the diets of more than 105,000 people in the middle of their life and discovered that at 70, less than 10 % had achieved a “healthy aging” which means that their memories were intact, they had not developed depression or an important chronic disease and could perform basic physical tasks such as climbing stairs or loading the purchase.
According to the analysis, having healthy eating increased the probabilities of the participants to achieve that milestone. This was fulfilled in eight specific diets evaluated, including the Mediterranean diet and regimes strictly based on plants, as well as the diets designed to reduce inflammation or blood pressure.
“What most of these diets had in common was that They were rich in fruits and vegetableswhole grass, non-saturated fats, nuts and legumes, and low in processed meat, transs and trans fats, “said one of the authors of the study, Marta Guasch-Ferré, an attached teacher of nutrition at the Harvard’s thct school of public health.
Previous studies have discovered in a similar way that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower levels of cholesterol and blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease or cancer. But most of these investigations have not evaluated the general effect on people’s quality of life as they age, Guasch-Ferré said.
“It is not just about living longer, but also of maintaining good health in the last stages of life,” he explained.
The relationship between a healthy diet and a lower risk of illness is an important conversation issue for the Secretary of Human Health and Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly blamed additives in food and the consumption of meals processed by the increase in chronic disease rates in the United States.
The new study evaluated participants between 39 and 69 years for 30 years, from 1986 to 2016. The group was selected from two databases of health professionals, so it can be more aware of health than the average of citizens. In addition to evaluating the mental and physical health of people at 70, researchers examined 11 chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
In particular, the alternative healthy eating index –A diet designed to reduce chronic diseases– He had the strongest association with healthy aging. The index gives high scores to people who consume small amounts of fish, at least five daily rations of vegetables and at least four daily rations of entire fruits, while eliminating red meat, sugary drinks and fruit juices.
The study revealed that the participants who obtained the highest scores in the alternative healthy eating index had 86 % more likely to age healthy, compared to the participants with the lowest results.
Dietary guidelines in the United States do not fully adhere to the index, but recommend at least three portions of vegetables and at least two portions of fruits per day, in addition to protein from lean meat, birds, fish, eggs, beans or nuts.
The eight diets of the study promoted fruits, vegetables and whole grains against red and processed meats. But there are slight differences: for example, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes healthy fats such as olive oil, fish and nuts, while dietary approaches to stop hypertension gives priority to low foods in sodium. The Mind diet, a combination of both, encourages people to eat berries to promote brain health.
While previous research has found numerous health benefits associated with vegetarian or vegan diets, Guasch-Ferré explained that study findings suggest that people in the middle of their lives do not need to be completely vegetarian to avoid diseases.
“We can reduce our consumption of animal foodbut still, some quantities can be healthy, “he said.
The study does not address whether a healthy diet in the middle of life can reverse the negative effects of a poor diet on childhood or youth, a question that researchers hope to answer.
“With respect to many lifestyle factors, our mantra is usually that it is never too soon and is never too late,” said Stephen Kritchevsky, professor of Gerontology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Wake Forest, who did not participate in the study.
The diet is not the only factor that affects aging, he added, the physical activity, stress and genetics of a person can also influence.
“If people want to age healthy, the four most important things in my opinion are: maintain a healthy weight, exercise, eat well (…) and not smoking“Kritchevsky said.
