What you eat in your 40s can be the difference between thriving or fighting disease in your 70s. While popular eating plans like the Mediterranean, DASH, and planetary diets have long been praised for their health benefits, researchers have now pinpointed a specific dietary approach that stands out for promoting longevity and disease-free aging.
In a large-scale study involving 105,000 participants, researchers examined how adherence to various healthy diet plans during midlife impacted long-term health outcomes. The researchers evaluated a range of dietary patterns, including the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, healthful plant-based, Planetary Health, empirically inflammatory, and empirical dietary plans. These diets were assessed for their potential to promote healthy aging, reduce inflammation, and prevent chronic diseases in later years.
“Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or how long people live. 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?” co-corresponding author Frank Hu said in a news release.
The Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) emerged as the top-performing diet for promoting healthy aging. Participants in the highest quintile of the AHEI, which measures adherence to this diet, were 86% more likely to experience healthy aging by 70. Their chances of aging healthily by 75 more than doubled, with a 2.2-fold higher likelihood compared to those in the lowest quintile.
The AHEI, developed by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, promotes a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, fish, healthy fats, and nuts.
Offering a fresh perspective on healthy eating, the AHEI was developed as an alternative to the USDA’s Healthy Eating Index. Unlike the USDA’s method, which measures adherence to federal dietary guidelines, the AHEI focuses more on reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
The AHEI emphasizes the importance of leafy greens, which may help reduce the risk of diabetes, and recommends four servings of fruit daily to protect against cardiovascular disease and cancers while advising against fruit juices. The diet also encourages five to six servings of whole grains daily to prevent heart disease and diabetes. It recommends nutrient-rich protein sources like nuts, legumes, and tofu, while fish provides healthy fatty acids that lower cardiovascular risk. Also, healthy fats from sources like olive oil help further reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
According to the researchers, the diet that comes next in line is the Planetary Health Diet, an eating pattern that emphasizes both human and environmental health. This diet focuses on plant-based foods while minimizing the consumption of animal-based products.
Researchers also found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods, particularly processed meats and sugary or diet beverages, was linked to lower chances of healthy aging.
