A recent study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the University of Copenhagen, and the University of Montreal has revealed that a diet rich in plant-based foods, combined with moderate consumption of healthy animal-based foods and a limited intake of ultra-processed foods, is associated with a higher likelihood of healthy aging. Healthy aging, defined as living to age 70 without major chronic diseases while maintaining cognitive, physical, and mental health, was found to be significantly influenced by diet.
Published in Nature Medicine, this study is one of the first to analyze the impact of various dietary patterns in midlife on overall healthy aging. While previous research has explored diets in relation to specific diseases or life expectancy, this study takes a broader approach, assessing how diet influences people’s ability to live independently and maintain a good quality of life as they age.
The study utilized data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, following the diets and health outcomes of over 105,000 participants aged 39–69 for 30 years. The participants, who were predominantly health professionals, completed dietary questionnaires, which were evaluated based on their adherence to eight established dietary patterns, including the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), and the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), among others.
Each of these dietary patterns emphasizes high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy fats, with some including moderate amounts of healthy animal-based foods like fish and dairy. In contrast, the study also assessed participants’ intake of ultra-processed foods—typically high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients—which were found to lower the chances of healthy aging.
The findings showed that 9.3% of participants—nearly 10,000 people—aged healthfully. Adherence to any of the healthy dietary patterns was linked to better overall aging and improved cognitive, physical, and mental health.
Among the top-performing diets, the AHEI emerged as the strongest predictor of healthy aging. Participants who scored highest on the AHEI were 86% more likely to experience healthy aging at 70 and had more than double the chances of healthy aging at 75 compared to those in the lowest scoring group. The AHEI emphasizes plant-based foods while minimizing red and processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined grains.
The PHDI, another strong diet for promoting healthy aging, focuses on plant-based foods while limiting animal-based products, aligning with the principles of sustainable eating for both human and environmental health.
Conversely, high consumption of ultra-processed foods, particularly processed meats and sugary drinks, was associated with a lower likelihood of healthy aging.
“Our study underscores the importance of a diet rich in plant-based foods, with a balanced inclusion of healthy animal-based options, for promoting healthy aging,” said Marta Guasch-Ferré, co-corresponding author and associate professor at the University of Copenhagen. “These findings could help shape future dietary guidelines.”
Lead author Anne-Julie Tessier from the University of Montreal emphasized that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to healthy eating. “Dietary patterns can be tailored to individual needs and preferences while still supporting healthy aging.”
While the study provides valuable insights, it also has limitations, including the fact that the participants were primarily health professionals. The researchers suggest that replicating the study across more diverse populations would offer further insights into the broader applicability of the findings.
The study’s co-authors from Harvard Chan include Fenglei Wang, Heather Eliassen, Jorge Chavarro, Jun Li, Liming Liang, Walter Willett, Qi Sun, and Meir Stampfer.
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