Would you add a few more vegetables and whole grains to your diet in return for a healthy old age? A new study has broken down in detail the food groups that increase the likelihood of healthy aging – and identified the best diet overall.
For the purposes of the study, researchers led by a team from Harvard University defined healthy aging as reaching 70 without any chronic diseases – and still being in good shape mentally and physically.
The analysis showed that the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) came top of eight healthy dietary patterns studied: developed by Harvard, the AHEI prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy fats.
The diet also keeps red and processed meats, sugary drinks, and salt down to a minimum.
"Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet," says Anne-Julie Tessier, a professor of nutrition from the University of Montreal in Canada. "Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences."
The researchers tracked the eating habits of 105,015 people across the course of 30 years, cross-referencing how their diets matched up with the eight sets of healthy eating guidelines – and then checking health at 70 years of age.
Overall, sticking closely to any of the diet plans improved the chances of aging healthily, and there was a lot of crossover in terms of the healthy eating recommendations: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats were frequently mentioned.
A total of 9,771 people met the health criteria at 70, with the AHEI showing the most benefits. The participants who ranked in the top fifth in terms of AHEI adherence were 86 percent more likely to be healthy at 70 than those in the lowest fifth. It seems the widely praised Mediterranean diet may have some competition.
"Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or how long people live," says Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology from Harvard University.
"Ours takes a multifaceted view, asking, how does diet impact people's ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as they age?"
Associations between diet and good health have been demonstrated in countless studies – whether you want to add years to your life or keep your brain ticking over – and while this new research doesn't show direct cause and effect, the link is strong enough to give us useful extra evidence for the benefits of eating well.
"Since staying active and independent is a priority for both individuals and public health, research on healthy aging is essential," says Marta Guasch-Ferré, a professor of epidemiology from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
"Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help shape future dietary guidelines."
The research has been published in Nature Medicine.