A recent study found that diets high in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy products were associated with health, while sodium, sugary drinks, trans fats, red meat, and processed meat were associated with health risks.The study, conducted by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the University of Copenhagen, and the University of Montreal, was published in Nature Medicine.The findings were based on a survey of the diets and health of more than 100,000 people.
“Previous research has focused on how people’s diets affect specific diseases or how long they live,” said Frank Ho, the Frederick J. Steer Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School. “Ours was a multifaceted approach, asking how diet affects people’s ability to live and enjoy a good quality of life as they age.”
Researchers studied 105,000 people aged 39 to 69 using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.The women and men in the study were assessed for their diets and long-term health outcomes. Participants completed regular dietary questionnaires, which allowed researchers to note how well they followed eight healthy eating patterns.
The researchers also provided details of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, Alternative Mediterranean Index, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Healthy Mediterranean Diet, Plant-Based Diet (HPDI), and Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), based on which the experts drew conclusions.According to the researchers, each of these diets, which included fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, and legumes, proved to be very healthy, and the quality of life of those who ate them improved.
The study examined the effects on diet and health of the women and men involved.
Similarly, certain food products derived from fish and milk (dairy products) were also found to be beneficial for health.The researchers also examined the participants’ intake of ultra-processed foods, which are industrially produced and often contain artificial ingredients such as sugar, sodium and unhealthy fats.According to the research results, high consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially processed meats and sweets and beverages, reduces the chances of healthy aging.
