Latest news with #FrankHu
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Have Pinpointed The Best Diets to Boost Healthy Aging
Old age awaits everyone, but it hits some harder – and earlier – than others. The way we age hinges partly on factors beyond our control, like genes or exposure to pollutants. But research suggests we can still influence the outcome with key behaviors, especially in how we sleep, exercise, and eat. In a new 30-year study, researchers have taken an in-depth look at the links between eating habits and healthy aging, which they define as reaching age 70 without major chronic diseases or declines in cognitive, physical, or mental health. The study is among the first to analyze multiple dietary patterns in middle age in relation to overall healthy aging, explains co-author Frank Hu, epidemiologist at Harvard University. "Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or how long people live," Hu says. "Ours takes a multifaceted view, asking, 'How does diet impact people's ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as they age?'" Hu and his colleagues used longitudinal data from 105,000 adults between the ages of 39 and 69 (averaging 53 years old), collected between 1986 and 2016 as part of the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Subjects regularly completed dietary questionnaires over the 30-year period. The authors of the new study scored their eating habits by adherence to eight dietary patterns, seeking to learn which is most likely to promote healthy aging. The eight dietary patterns are: the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), the Alternative Mediterranean Index (aMED), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), the healthful plant-based diet (hPDI), the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), the empirically inflammatory dietary pattern (EDIP), and the empirical dietary index for hyperinsulinemia (EDIH). All eight dietary patterns share some basic inclinations, the researchers note, such as a focus on whole, plant-based foods and healthy fats. In addition to those eight patterns, the study examined subjects' consumption of ultra-processed foods – industrial creations often featuring many ingredients and excessive sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. The study found 9,771 participants met their definition of healthy aging, representing 9.3 percent of the sample population. All eight dietary patterns were associated with healthy aging, the study found, so adhering to any one of them raised a person's odds of staying spry at 70. This suggests the solution isn't simple, the researchers note, and no single diet is best for everyone. That said, one contender did stand out. The best diet overall for healthy aging is the AHEI, according to the findings. It's similar to the older Healthy Eating Index, the researchers explain, but more oriented toward preventing chronic disease. Subjects in the top quintile for the AHEI were 86 percent more likely to achieve healthy aging at 70 than those in the lowest quintile, the study found. If the cutoff age was 75, the top quintile was 2.24 times likelier to age healthily. The AHEI emphasizes plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, while minimizing red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened drinks, sodium, and refined grains. "Since staying active and independent is a priority for both individuals and public health, research on healthy aging is essential," says co-author Marta Guasch-Ferré, Harvard nutritionist. "Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help shape future dietary guidelines," she adds. While the AHEI showed the best results, it was closely followed by several others, including the aMED, DASH, PHDI, and MIND, the researchers report. Along with the strongest link to overall healthy aging, the AHEI had the strongest link with maintaining physical function and mental health. The PHDI showed the strongest link with maintaining cognitive health and surviving to age 70. Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, was associated with a lower likelihood of healthy aging. "Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences," says lead author Anne-Julie Tessier, nutritionist at the University of Montreal. The study was published in Nature Medicine. Scientists Identified a Healthier Way to Cook Broccoli – But There's a Catch Skin Injuries And Food Allergies May Have a Mysterious Connection Cancer's Devastating Effect on a Brain Circuit Could Destroy Will
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Healthy eating in middle age has this key longevity benefit
Adopting healthy eating habits during middle age boosts the likelihood of healthy aging. That's according to a new study from the Harvard T.C. Chan School of Public Health, which found that a "moderate intake of healthy, animal-based foods" and a "lower intake of ultraprocessed foods" could increase the chances of reaching age 70 with good "cognitive, physical and mental health" and no major diseases. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Montreal also contributed to the study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine. Diabetes Risk Lowered By Eating One Surprisingly Sweet Food, Study Suggests "Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or how long people live. Ours takes a multifaceted view, asking, how does diet impact people's ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as they age?" said co-corresponding author Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School, in a Harvard press release. The researchers analyzed diet and health data for more than 105,000 women and men aged 39 to 69 over a 30-year period, drawn from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Read On The Fox News App Based on the participants' self-reported diets, they were given scores for eight different healthy eating plans based on their intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts and legumes, as well as some healthy animal-based foods, including fish and certain dairy products, the release stated. Federal Dietary Guidelines Will Soon Change For Americans, Hhs And Usda Announce They also investigated the participants' consumption of ultraprocessed foods containing added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats. The diet with the most benefits for healthy aging was the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), the researchers found, which was linked to an 86% greater likelihood of healthy aging at 70 years old. This diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and healthy fats, with limited amounts of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium and refined grains, the release stated. Participants who ate more processed foods had less likelihood of healthy aging, with processed meat and sugary or diet beverages named as the biggest culprits. "Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy, animal-based foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help shape future dietary guidelines," said co-corresponding author Marta Guasch-Ferré, associate professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen and adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Harvard Chan School, in the release. "Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences," added lead author Anne-Julie Tessier, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute. Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietitian and expert from the Atlanta metropolitan area, was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings. "This data helps emphasize the importance of how we eat throughout life, in particular at midlife, on our ability to remain healthy and strong into our golden years," she told Fox News Digital. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "Since the majority of healthcare dollars are spent at the end of our life, this has huge implications on the potential to save money on costly interventions, as well as improving quality of life throughout the lifespan." Most of the beneficial diets in the study were primarily plant-based, Collins noted. "They aren't all vegetarian or vegan, but they all include an eating pattern made up of primarily fruits, vegetables, whole grains, foods high in unsaturated fats, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds." She agreed, however, that there is no one-size-fits-all diet, and that people can be healthy by eating many different types of diets. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "The most health-promoting diets all exclude or only include small amounts of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, ultraprocessed foods," she said. The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged — chiefly that it was limited to only health professionals. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings with more diverse populations, they said. The Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study were supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more Health articles, visit Other support was received from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the release stated. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for article source: Healthy eating in middle age has this key longevity benefit
Fox News
30-03-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Healthy eating in middle age has this key longevity benefit
Adopting healthy eating habits during middle age boosts the likelihood of healthy aging. That's according to a new study from the Harvard T.C. Chan School of Public Health, which found that a "moderate intake of healthy, animal-based foods" and a "lower intake of ultraprocessed foods" could increase the chances of reaching age 70 with good "cognitive, physical and mental health" and no major diseases. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Montreal also contributed to the study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine. "Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or how long people live. Ours takes a multifaceted view, asking, how does diet impact people's ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as they age?" said co-corresponding author Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School, in a Harvard press release. The researchers analyzed diet and health data for more than 105,000 women and men aged 39 to 69 over a 30-year period, drawn from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Based on the participants' self-reported diets, they were given scores for eight different healthy eating plans based on their intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts and legumes, as well as some healthy animal-based foods, including fish and certain dairy products, the release stated. They also investigated the participants' consumption of ultraprocessed foods containing added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats. The diet with the most benefits for healthy aging was the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), the researchers found, which was linked to an 86% greater likelihood of healthy aging at 70 years old. This diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and healthy fats, with limited amounts of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium and refined grains, the release stated. Participants who ate more processed foods had less likelihood of healthy aging, with processed meat and sugary or diet beverages named as the biggest culprits. "There is no one-size-fits-all diet. Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences." "Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy, animal-based foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help shape future dietary guidelines," said co-corresponding author Marta Guasch-Ferré, associate professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen and adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Harvard Chan School, in the release. "Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences," added lead author Anne-Julie Tessier, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute. Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietitian and expert from the Atlanta metropolitan area, was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings. "This data helps emphasize the importance of how we eat throughout life, in particular at midlife, on our ability to remain healthy and strong into our golden years," she told Fox News Digital. "Since the majority of healthcare dollars are spent at the end of our life, this has huge implications on the potential to save money on costly interventions, as well as improving quality of life throughout the lifespan." Most of the beneficial diets in the study were primarily plant-based, Collins noted. "They aren't all vegetarian or vegan, but they all include an eating pattern made up of primarily fruits, vegetables, whole grains, foods high in unsaturated fats, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds." She agreed, however, that there is no one-size-fits-all diet, and that people can be healthy by eating many different types of diets. "The most health-promoting diets all exclude or only include small amounts of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, ultraprocessed foods," she said. The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged — chiefly that it was limited to only health professionals. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings with more diverse populations, they said. The Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study were supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more Health articles, visit Other support was received from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the release stated. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A 30-Year Study May Have Found The Single Best Diet For Healthy Aging
Would you add a few more vegetables and whole grains to your diet in return for a healthy old age? A new study has broken down in detail the food groups that increase the likelihood of healthy aging – and identified the best diet overall. For the purposes of the study, researchers led by a team from Harvard University defined healthy aging as reaching 70 without any chronic diseases – and still being in good shape mentally and physically. The analysis showed that the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) came top of eight healthy dietary patterns studied: developed by Harvard, the AHEI prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy fats. The diet also keeps red and processed meats, sugary drinks, and salt down to a minimum. "Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet," says Anne-Julie Tessier, a professor of nutrition from the University of Montreal in Canada. "Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences." The researchers tracked the eating habits of 105,015 people across the course of 30 years, cross-referencing how their diets matched up with the eight sets of healthy eating guidelines – and then checking health at 70 years of age. Overall, sticking closely to any of the diet plans improved the chances of aging healthily, and there was a lot of crossover in terms of the healthy eating recommendations: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats were frequently mentioned. A total of 9,771 people met the health criteria at 70, with the AHEI showing the most benefits. The participants who ranked in the top fifth in terms of AHEI adherence were 86 percent more likely to be healthy at 70 than those in the lowest fifth. It seems the widely praised Mediterranean diet may have some competition. "Studies have previously investigated dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or how long people live," says Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology from Harvard University. "Ours takes a multifaceted view, asking, how does diet impact people's ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as they age?" Associations between diet and good health have been demonstrated in countless studies – whether you want to add years to your life or keep your brain ticking over – and while this new research doesn't show direct cause and effect, the link is strong enough to give us useful extra evidence for the benefits of eating well. "Since staying active and independent is a priority for both individuals and public health, research on healthy aging is essential," says Marta Guasch-Ferré, a professor of epidemiology from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. "Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help shape future dietary guidelines." The research has been published in Nature Medicine. Eating Yoghurt Could Lower Your Risk of Bowel Cancer, Evidence Shows Reducing Your 'Bioenergetic Age' May Ward Off Alzheimer's, Study Finds Exercise Boosts Brain Function Across All Ages, Massive Study Confirms
