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What to Eat for Healthy Aging?
No one can escape aging, and everyone wants to age healthily. One of the keys to achieving this goal may be on your plate. A study recently published in the renowned journal ‘Nature Medicine’ investigated eight different healthy diets and their association with healthy aging. Professor Julie-Anne Tessier, a researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute, conducted this research by analyzing data provided over a 30-year period for the Nurses’ Health Study (1986-2016) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2016).
Overall, according to the results of this study, higher intakes of plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes), as well as the consumption of unsaturated fats (nuts and seeds, avocado, fatty fish, vegetable oils) and low-fat dairy products are linked to a greater chance of healthy aging. However, higher intakes of trans fats, sodium (salt), sugary drinks, red meats, and/or processed meats were inversely associated, meaning that their consumption in greater quantities was associated with poorer aging. Healthy aging was defined by several components, including: reaching the age of 70, the absence of chronic diseases, mental health, and the preservation of cognitive and physical functions.
Healthy aging was more strongly associated with the ‘Alternative Healthy Eating Index’ (AHEI) developed by Harvard University. This index calculates the consumption of 11 foods and nutrients positively associated with chronic disease risk (fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, whole grains, polyunsaturated fats, omega-3s) or inversely (sodium, trans fats, red or processed meat, sugary drinks, alcohol). Interestingly, in this study, the associations between diet and aging were independent of other factors such as smoking and body mass index (BMI). Other diets closely followed the AHEI with positive results, such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and the Mediterranean diet. These two diets have also been associated with lower risks of developing type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Plant-based diets: impacts beyond health
The World Health Organization (WHO) produced a report in 2021 outlining the health benefits of plant-based diets in addition to their positive environmental impacts. People who adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet are said to be better protected against cardiovascular disease and at a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes or cancer. Studies show that frequent consumption of red and processed meat (four or more servings per week) increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Reducing animal-based foods in one’s diet could therefore lead to considerable savings for healthcare systems worldwide.
Author
A University of Montreal graduate and holding a Master's Degree in Medical Research from Griffith University in Australia, Tracy is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ). With more than 15 years of experience, she likes to share her knowledge about food in a simple and illustrated way in order to support you in achieving your health goals. Her approach combines the pleasure of eating, intuitive eating and mindfulness. Tracy specializes in adapted nutrition for chronic diseases, weight loss, gastrointestinal health, vegetarianism and veganism.
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