This is what you should eat to have healthy aging

The study, which covered more than 30 years of follow -up and analyzed the eating habits of more than 105,000 medium -sized adults, is one of the first to investigate dietary patterns in relation to healthy aging in general, instead of focusing solely on specific diseases or mortality.

Our study shows that the Alternative healthy eating index (AHEI), developed to prevent chronic diseases, was associated with an 86% higher aging of healthy aging at age 70 and 2.2 times greater than 75, explains to ABC Health the researcher Marta Guasch-FerréCo -author of the study.

This diet, he adds, «emphasizes the Consumption of fruits, vegetables, integral cereals and healthy fats, while limiting the consumption of red meat and processed, sugary drinks, sodium and refined cereals ».

In addition, we observe a strong association between a greater consumption of ultraprocessed food and a lower probability of achieving healthy aging. “The consumption of ultraprocessed foods and rich in trans fat promotes chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance, increasing the risk of metabolic, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases,” explains the Spanish researcher.

«We also found that the Planetary health diet (Phi), which considers both human and environmental health, is related to better probabilities of healthy aging, benefiting both people and the planet ».

According to the co -author Frank HuProfessor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and director of the Nutrition Department of the Chan School of Harvard Health, “this approach allows us to understand how the diet influences the ability of people to live independently and maintain a good quality of life as they age.”

The study is published in ‘Nature Medicine‘And he has used data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, where the participants regularly completed questionnaires about their eating habits.

The researchers analyzed their adherence to eight healthy dietary patterns, which include the alternative healthy eating index (AHEI), the alternative Mediterranean Index (AMED), and the dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH), among others.

The results showed that of the more than 105,000 participants9,771 (9.3%) aged in a healthy way. It was discovered that following any of the healthy dietary patterns studied was associated with healthy aging in terms of cognitive, physical and mental health.

“Staying active and independent is a priority for both individuals and public health,” says Guasch-Ferré. Our findings suggest that a diet rich in foods of plant origin, together with a moderate intake of healthy foods of animal origin, can promote healthy aging and serve as a basis for future dietary guidelines.

For her part, the main author, Anne-Julie Tessier, stressed that the study also shows that there is no single universally adequate diet, since food patterns can adapt to individual needs and preferences.

This study presents some limitations, since the analyzed population was mainly composed of health professionals, which might not reflect the diversity of the general population. Researchers suggest that repeating the study in different socio -economic and ethnic groups could offer a broader understanding of the applicability of the findings.

The study underlines the importance of food in healthy aging, opening new perspectives to design more personalized and effective dietary recommendations.

Guasch-Ferré concludes that since Stay active and independent is a priority both at the individual level and for public healthresearch on healthy aging is fundamental. “Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in foods of plant origin, with a moderate inclusion of healthy foods of animal origin, can favor healthy aging in general and contribute to the formulation of future dietary guidelines.”