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What You Eat At Age 40 Could Influence Your Quality Of Life At 70 – Where The Food Comes From

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We all want to age with grace, but a new study found that fewer than 1 in 10 people were able to live free of disease and maintain good physical, cognitive and mental health to age 70 and beyond. The study suggests that sticking to a healthy diet in midlife could increase your chance of achieving healthy aging.  

The research, based on data from over 100,000 people spanning 30 years, revealed that people who followed a healthy diet from their 40s onward were 43-84% more likely to be well-functioning physically and mentally at age 70 compared with those who did not. 

“People who adhered to healthy dietary patterns in midlife, especially those rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, were significantly more likely to achieve healthy aging,” said Anne-Julie Tessier, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. “This suggests that what you eat in midlife can play a big role in how well you age.”

In terms of particular foods, the researchers found that higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy were associated with greater odds of healthy aging, while higher intakes of trans fat, sodium, total meats, red and processed meats were associated with a lower odds of healthy aging.

While many previous studies have shown that a healthy diet can help to ward off chronic diseases, the new research is unique in its focus on healthy aging — defined not just as the absence of disease but the ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as we grow older.

“Traditionally, research and derived dietary guidelines have focused on preventing chronic diseases like heart disease,” said Tessier. “Our study provides evidence for dietary recommendations to consider not only disease prevention but also promoting overall healthy aging as a long-term goal.”

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