Study looks at the impact of food choices on life expectancy
While most young adults give little thought to ageing, a new study shows that people under 20 could add a significant number of years to their life expectancy by changing their diet.
What happens if a 20-year-old switches from a typical Western diet to one that includes more legumes, whole grains and nuts, and less red and processed meat? According to researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway, women can expect to live 10.7 years longer and men 13 years longer.
(Source: https: //journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003889#sec009)
Based on meta-analyses and data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, the researchers used life table methodology to estimate how life expectancy changes with sustained changes in the consumption of certain foods.
What does a longevity diet look like?
In this study, eating beans, or legumes, improved life expectancy the most, followed by whole grains, nuts and reduced red meat consumption. This type of diet is very similar to an anti-inflammatory diet, which is designed to reduce unwanted markers of inflammation and help the body function optimally. The anti-inflammatory diet provides the body with an abundance of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, flavonols and nutritional compounds that reduce inflammation.
(Source: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003889#sec009)
The optimal diet is characterized by a significantly higher intake of whole grains, legumes, fish, fruit and vegetables than a typical diet, plus a handful of nuts, as well as a reduction in the consumption of red and processed meats, sugary drinks and refined grains. The feasible diet, characterized by moderate changes in these foods, is linked to a lower life expectancy than the optimal diet.
The tool used by the researchers to calculate this data is available to the public in the form of a calculator. It allows you to see which foods are important for your health as you age, and how you can add years or even decades to your life. You can access it right here: Food Healthy Life.org.
In conclusion, sustainable dietary change can bring substantial health gains for people of all ages, both for the optimized and the feasible diet. The study shows that the anticipated gains will be even greater if dietary changes are undertaken early in life.
This study confirms several other studies carried out over the decades, which even caught the attention of Martin Juneau, cardiologist and director of prevention at the Montreal Heart Institute.
"This is in line with what we have been saying for years and what is recommended. If we exclude tobacco, nutritional factors are the worst factors for premature mortality and disability. We eat too much and we eat badly. - Martin Juneau
(Source : https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/394413a1-4573-4b4d-9c13-7f45d193fa7b__7C___0.html)
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