The key to healthy aging? Eating a variety of these kinds of carbs
Women who eat more fiber and high-quality carbohydrates in midlife are more likely to be cognitively and physically healthy in their old age, a large new study suggests.
While there's a lot of evidence showing how diet affects longevity and the risk for chronic diseases, the new study focused on how what we eat influences quality of life as we age, according to the report published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, analyzed diet data from 47,512 women who were participants of the long-running Nurses' Health Study, one of the most respected and largest investigations into causes of chronic diseases in women.
Every four years, between 1984 and 2016, the participants filled out a questionnaire that asked how frequently 130 foods had been consumed over the past year. The options ranged from never to six times a day.
The researchers centered on dietary data collected in 1984 and 1986, as this was when the women were at midlife.
'The primary high-quality carbohydrates were whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables and legumes,' scientist Andres Ardisson Korat, lead author of the new research, said. 'The reason is they have a lot of fiber and a lot more resistant forms of starches that break down more slowly in our bodies. Low quality carbohydrates included refined grains and added sugars.'
Resistant forms of starch, such as beans and legumes and whole grain, don't cause blood glucose levels to spike, plus they increase the feeling of fullness and are high in fiber.
The researchers defined healthy aging as surviving to age 70 while being free of 11 major chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and osteoporosis; having no impairment in memory or physical function; and being in good mental health.
The dietary analysis revealed a 31% greater likelihood of healthy aging among women who ate high-quality carbs, while a diet heavy in low-quality carbs was associated with a 13% lower likelihood of healthy aging.
Ardisson Korat said healthy aging is someone with a positive score in four areas:
No major chronic disease.
Good physical health.
Good cognitive function.
Good mental health.
'A person with good physical health, for example, would be able to lift and carry groceries, climb a flight of stairs and walk a certain distance,' Ardisson Korat said.
Among the participants in the new study, only 3,706 reached age 70 free of chronic diseases. Ardisson Korat was surprised that so few women accomplished it, but noted a 2024 Tufts study on women's consumption of protein showed similar findings. In Ardisson Korat's protein research, women who ate more plant proteins were 46% more likely to be healthy into their later years, while women who ate more animal protein, such as beef, chicken, milk, fish and cheese were 6% less likely to stay healthy as they aged.
A limitation of the new study is that it didn't explore how high-quality carbohydrates could lead to a healthier old age. Also, the participants in the Nurses Health Study are mostly white women and the findings may not be representative of the broader population.
It's significant, however, because the researchers looked at how diet can have an impact on overall healthy aging, experts said.
Brooke Aggarwal, an associate professor of medical sciences in the division of cardiology at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, said the researchers focused on a really critical period in women's lives to suggest intervention.
'This shows with better attention to diet we might have a good quality of life: Can someone think clearly? Can they physically function well? Can they get in and out of bed by themselves,' Aggarwal said.
Other studies have shown that diets high in fiber can have a positive impact on outcomes, such as diabetes and other chronic diseases, said Dr. Gül Bahtiyar, chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at NYC Health+Hospitals/Woodhull.
But a strength of the study is that it is 'huge,' said Bahtiyar, who was not involved in the research.
Heidi Silver, director of the Vanderbilt Diet, Body Composition, and Human Metabolism Core at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the data in the new study showed that fruit was especially good for healthy aging.
'Fruits are a good source of vitamins and minerals,' said Silver, who was not involved in the research. 'There's such as wide range of micro nutrients in them. You don't get that from a lot of the other food groups.'
If people want to eat healthier, what would Silver suggest?
'I would recommend eating a variety of fruits,' she said. 'But they should at least eat two pieces of fruit a day.'
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BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Seed oils dey bad for your health?
E don dey fly upandan recently say seed oils like canola and sunflower oil get harmful effects. Dis na true? You fit get bottle of sunflower oil or canola (rapeseed) oil inside your kitchen cupboard. You fit use am cook, spray ontop salad, seed oils dey popular across di world. But dis seed oils don become centre of debate online. For recent years, seed oils don dey collect plenty attack from social media wia some pipo dey claim say e dey "toxic", "poisonous" and dey damage pipo health. Some critics don give some seed oils nickname as 'di hateful eight' - dis dey refer to di eight popular seed oils canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, soy, rice bran, sunflower and safflower - and dey blame dem say na dem dey cause heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Question be weda na true true say seed oils be di enemy, abi pipo just dey fight dem for no reason? Seed oils dey connected to heart issue? Some pipo wey dey tok against seed oil dey focus on di high omega 6 fatty acid wey dey inside am. Omega 6 fatty acid na essential fatty acid, wey mean say we need dem, but we no fit produce dem oursefs. For recent years, some scientists don argue say omega 6 fit cause chronic inflammation (e fit increase risk of developing diseases wey include heart disease and cancer). But trials wey dem do show say omega 6 fatty acid no dey increase inflammation, na so Dariush Mozaffarian tok. Im be professor and doctor for di Food is Medicine Institute for Tufts University for Massachusetts, US. "New research show say omega 6 fatty acids dey give rise to unique natural molecules like lipoxins, wey get powerful anti-inflammatory effects for body, na so Mozaffarian tok. For recent research wey cover over 200,000 pipo for US wey dey around age 30, di researchers find out say pipo wey dey chop more of plant oil (including seed oils) dey less likely to die from cardiovascular diseases or cancer. On di oda hand, pipo wey dey take in more of butter dey likely to die during di same period. Plenti observational studies about how omega 6 dey affect our hearts dey. Dem dey look into data of diet and health and find out say di two get relationship. But some observational studies dey rely on account of wetin di pipo tok say dem eat, na so Matti Marklund tok. Im be professor of human nutrition for Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for US. E add say dis fit be problem as pipo fit no remember wetin dem eat or dem fit no dey honest about dia diet. Anoda way to measure omega 6 intake na to measure how much di amount of omega 6 individual components and ingredients dey inside pesin diet. However Marklund add say e dey difficult to translate how much of food pesin chop into quantities. Plenty studies wey dey investigate di effects of omega 6 fatty acids on our health dey focus on linoleic acid. Dis na omega 6 fatty acid wey dey in high amounts inside seed oil. Dem don find out say e dey lower bad LDL cholesterol inside blood. For study wey dem do for 2019, Marklund focus on levels of fatty acid for blood of participants from 30 observational studies - wey some role for upto 30 years. E look at how many of dem develop cardiovascular disease and die from am. E find out say di ones wey get di highest levels of linoleic acid for blood, na dem get di lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Anoda allegation dem sama seed oils be say e dey harmful to pipo wey dey eat plenty of omega 6 if you compare am wit pipo wey dey take plenti omega 3. Some confusion dey between omega 6 and health of di heart, na wetin Christopher Gardener tok, I'm be Director of nutrition studies for Stamford Prevention Research Centre for US. Dis na sake of role wey omega 6 dey play wen blood clots happun, Gradner say pipo dey relate am only to stroke and heart attack. E say Omega 3 dey do more of blood thinning. "If you get wound for your hand and you want make e clot, you gas need balance." Meanwhile, scientists conclude for analysis of 30 studies wey dem conduct for 2019 say pipo wey get higher amounts of linoleic acid for dia blood dey 7% less likely to develop heart disease. Linoleic (acid) fit improve cholesterol to reduce di risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve glucose metabolism wey dey reduces di risk of type 2 diabetes, na so Marklund tok. Seed oils and 3.6 ratio Anoda common accuse wey dem sama on seed oils be say to eat plenty omega 6 compared to eating omega 3 dey harmful. For western world, omega 6 fatty acid dey account for around 15% of our total energy intake. Average person ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fit be upto 50:1. However e suppose be like 4:1 to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease, according to one study like dat. Review and meta analysis wey World Health Organization do for 2022 report say higher omega 6:3 ratio dey associated wit greater risk of cognitive decline and ulcerative colitis, wey be chronic inflammatory bowel disease. For di oda side, dem link higher omega 3:6 ratio to reduced risk of depression. Di scientists wey conduct di WHO study conclude say higher omega intake of omega 6 fatty acid from sees oils dey unlikely to increase your risk of death and disease - but add say dem need more quality research. But while some scientists dey argue say you no suppose get too much omega 6 for your system pass omega 3, Marklund say e better to take more omega 3, dan to reduce your omega 6, as both get health benefits. How dem dey process seed oils Unlike oda oils, na from plant dem dey from extract seed oils. Some dey concerned say dem dey extract seed oils wit hexane - wey be chemical wey dem make from crude oil - but little evidence dey wey suggest say di process fit cause issue. Researchers don recently find out say omega 6 fit cause growth of one specific type of breast cancer. While some evidence suggest say hexane fit dey linked to plenty health conditions, after dem extract am, dem dey deodorise and bleach am to remove and additives. Scientists fit tok say hexane extract dey normal for food processing, and say di process of deodorizing and bleaching it Dey help remove potential harmful compounds," na so Gardener tok. Seed oils wey dem use cold-press method dey avoid di process completely, as di process involve to squeeze di seeds to extract di oil - but dis result dey more expensive. Seed oils for cause growth of tumours? Upon say plenty research dey wey show di potential benefits of omega 6 on our health, Researcher don recently find out say dis fatty acid fit fuel di growth of specific type of breast cancer. Di findings fit also get implications say di impact of omega 6 consumption on oda diseases. Cancer cells dey use nutrients as fuel to grow and multiply but till now, dem bin get limited research wey dey look at di role wey omega 6 fatty acid dey play. But study wey dem publish for March dis year find mechanism wey linoleic acid, wey be omega 6 fatty acid dey use grow and multiply inside patients wey get triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Dis na di most aggressive sub-type of di disease and na one wey no dey respond to therapies. Studies wey dem carry out before suggest say nothing dey link omega 6 fatty acid or any small increase in risk, na so Nikolaos Koundouros tok, im be postdoctoral associate for Weill Cornell Medicine Research Centre for New York. But e add say di studies no take into account say multiple sub-types of breast cancer dey, and e dey different from patient to patient unto how dem dey survive or ontop wetin dey cause dem, plus how dem dey respond to therapy. TNBC be like e dey respond pass for linoleic acid, na so Koundouros tok. Koundouros and oda team of researchers discover for lab say wen pesin take omega 6, TNBC cells go activate protein complex wey dey linked to tumor growth and progression. E get anoda protein wey dey in large amount for TNBC tumours, e dey take fatty acids and lipids throughout di body and inside cells to wia dem suppose be. Koundouros explain say dese proteins, along wit omega 6 fit dey responsible for oda chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Dis research fit bring new info about how to treat TNBC patients, but e no get wider implications for everyone, na so Koundouros tok. E say "e dey important to remember say omega 6 fats dey essential for some reasons , if you cut dem off, you fit get bad side effects". Which seed oil? Some seed oils like canola and soya bin oil don get more studies pass odas and e get more balanced evidence base. "All dese dey provide balanced combination of healthy fats, including monounsaturated fats, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, and omega 3 polyunsaturated fats," na wetin Mozaffarian tok. E add say Canola oil get similar anti inflammatory effects and dey produce better improvements for blood cholesterol levels dan olive oil wey dem dey hail as di healthiest of all oils. One meta analysis dem do 27 trials on show say canola oil dey significantly reduce LDL cholesterol wen you compare am to sunflower oil and saturated fat, while anoda one find out say e dey dramatically reduce body weight especially for pipo wey get type 2 diabetes. "Canola oil dey produce excellent benefits for blood cholesterol levels, and dey modestly reduce body weight. Healthy fats wey dey inside canola oil especially omega 6 polyunsaturated fat dey also improve blood glucose, insulin resistance and insulin production," na so Mozaffarian tok. Dem also find out say soya bean dey improve cholesterol levels when you compare am to saturated fat. One study find out say pipo wey dey consume more of soya bean oil get lower risk of death from all causes; 6% lower risk for every 5kg dem consume daily. Which seed oil be di healthiest? "Seeds na one of natures most nourishing gifts; package of beneficial healthy fats,"na wetin Mozaffarian tok. Why plenty pipo dey attack something like dis dey confuse scientists, some wey dey well studied inside nutrition science. But dis misunderstanding fit dey come from "misplaced combination of partial truths", na wetin Mozaffarian tok. For instance, some pipo dey link seed oils to ultra-processed foods (UPFs), we some times dey contain seed oils, like canola, corn, soyabean and sunflower oils. For recent years, huge focus dey on di health risk of consuming too many UPFs, including risk of developing type two diabetes and heart diseases. More like dis: "But dese dangers dey arise from too much starch, sugar and salt, loss of natural intact food structure and dozens or even hundreds of artificial additives," na so Mozaffarian tok. But if you wan draw line between pipo wey dey eat more seed oils and unhealthy outcomes, na unto say we too dey eat food wey get plenty sugar and sodium,"na wetin Gardner suggest. E say e get plenty ways to consume seed oils for house wey no involve UPFs, like to use salad or stir-fry. "I no dey happy to see pipo troway seed oils sake of dis seed oil war," na so Gardner tok. While some scientists want make dem do more rigorous trials to look into di effects of seed oil consumption ontop our health, odas like Marklund dey argue say already, plenty good quality trials dey ground wey dey show benefits on blood cholesterol, blood glucose and insulin levels for general population. "Omega 6 fatty acids dey excellent for health," na so Marklund tok. "E dey linked to lower onset of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even death from all causes." For better insight into health and wellbeing matter wey Dey rooted in science, sign up for Health Fix newsletter, while di Essential List dey deliver handpicked selection of features and insights. For more science technology, environment and health stories from BBC, make you follow us for Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- The Guardian
Younger generations less likely to have dementia, study suggests
People born more recently are less likely to have dementia at any given age than earlier generations, research suggests, with the trend more pronounced in women. According to the World Health Organization, in 2021 there were 57 million people worldwide living with dementia, with women disproportionately affected. However, while dementia risk increases with age, experts have long stressed it is not an inevitability of getting older. 'Younger generations are less likely to develop dementia at the same age as their parents or grandparents, and that's a hopeful sign,' said Dr Sabrina Lenzen, a co-author of the study from the University of Queensland's Centre for the Business and Economics of Health. But she added: 'The overall burden of dementia will still grow as populations age, and significant inequalities remain – especially by gender, education and geography.' Writing in the journal Jama Network Open, researchers in Australia report how they analysed data from 62,437 people aged 70 and over, collected from three long-running surveys covering the US, England and parts of Europe. The team used an algorithm that took into account participants' responses to a host of different metrics, from the difficulties they had with everyday activities to their scores on cognitive tests, to determine whether they were likely to have dementia. They then split the participants into eight different cohorts, representing different generations. Participants were also split into six age groups. As expected, the researchers found the prevalence of dementia increased by age among all birth cohorts, and in each of the three regions: UK, US and Europe. However, at a given age, people in more recent generations were less likely to have dementia compared with those in earlier generations. 'For example, in the US, among people aged 81 to 85, 25.1% of those born between 1890–1913 had dementia, compared to 15.5% of those born between 1939–1943,' said Lenzen, adding similar trends were seen in Europe and England, although less pronounced in the latter. The team said the trend was more pronounced in women, especially in Europe and England, noting that one reason may be increased access to education for women in the mid-20th century. However, taking into account changes in GDP, a metric that reflects broader economic shifts, did not substantially alter the findings. Prof Tara Spires-Jones, the director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, described the study as well conducted. 'The number of people living with dementia is still increasing due to our ageing population, but this study adds to the good news that more recent generations have a decreased risk compared to past generations,' she said. While the study did not investigate the reasons for the decline, Spires-Jones noted a number of factors could be at play. 'This is likely due to interventions such as compulsory education, smoking bans, and improvements in medical treatments for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and hearing loss, which are associated with dementia risk,' she said. Spires-Jones added the study had limitations, including that it did not rely on official diagnoses of dementia based on clinical testing. Prof Tom Dening, of the University of Nottingham, said the study contained good news but it should not be assumed that the trend would continue, given some of the biggest health changes to reduce dementia risk may already have been made. Prof Eric Brunner of University College London said it was important to look closely at recent trends and the impact of policies such as austerity, given other studies – including his own work relating to England and Wales – have suggested dementia incidence, in other words the rate of new cases, may no longer be declining. David Thomas, the head of policy and public affairs at Alzheimer's Research UK, said evidence suggested nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 key risk factors – from smoking to air quality – although he noted not all were within individuals' control. 'That's why Alzheimer's Research UK is calling on the government to put in place a strategy for preventing ill health, including addressing dementia risk,' he said.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- The Independent
Researchers think this dental floss could track cancer and tell if you're stressed. Here's how
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