5 days ago
Researchers say diet key to delaying chronic illness in old age
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Want to age gracefully, as the saying goes, without any aches and pain?
While many know a balanced diet is a key factor in maintaining good health, a new Swedish study published in the journal, Nature Aging, looks at how diet can influence the development of chronic illnesses in aging populations.
The study by researchers at the Aging Research Center at the Karolinska Institutet followed more than 2,400 older adults over 15 years.
They were divided into four groups with different diets.
Those in three of the groups consumed healthy diets that focused on consuming vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, legumes, unsaturated fats, and reduced their intake of sweets, red meat, processed meat, and butter or margarine.
The fourth group had a diet that was 'pro-inflammatory' and focused on consuming red and processed meat, refined grains and sweetened beverages, with a lower intake of vegetables, tea and coffee.
The three 'healthy' diets were the MIND diet (designed to protect brain health and to reduce the risk of dementia), the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (based on foods linked to lower disease risk) and the Alternative Mediterranean diet (a modified version of the Mediterranean diet adapted to Western eating habits).
'We found that people who consistently ate a healthy diet developed chronic diseases more slowly, in contrast to those whose diets were considered more inflammatory; that is, diets high in processed meats, refined grains and sugary drinks, which are known to promote low-grade chronic inflammation in the body,' the researchers said via The Conversation.
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'This is important because having several health conditions at the same time is one of the biggest problems older people face. It increases the risk of disability, hospitalization and early death,' they added.
Chronic ailments such as cardiovascular disease and dementia did develop more slowly in this group, according to the researchers.
Participants who followed the pro-inflammatory diet increased their risk of chronic diseases.
The researchers didn't find a correlation between diet and musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis or osteoporosis.
However, they noted that diet is only one part of healthy living, with other factors, such as physical activity, social connections, and access to health care, playing key roles in healthy aging.
For those considering making dietary changes to reduce their risk of chronic illnesses, the researchers suggest eating lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains.
They also recommend consuming healthy fats like rapeseed oil and fish.
Foods they recommend limiting include red and processed meats, sugary drinks and solid fats.
