The Best Diets for a Healthy Life After Old Age

Scientists have identified the best diet for a healthy life after reaching old age, the stage of life during which most people suffer from diseases and poor health.

A report published by the specialized website "Science Alert" and reviewed by "Al Arabiya.net" stated that the way we age depends in part on factors beyond our control, such as genetics or exposure to pollutants. However, research indicates that we can still influence the outcome through our key behaviors, particularly the way we sleep, exercise, and eat.

Diet in Old Age

In a new 30-year study, researchers took 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.

This study is one of the first to analyze multiple dietary patterns in midlife and their relationship to overall healthy aging, explains Frank Hu, co-author of the study and an epidemiologist at Harvard University. "Previous studies have examined dietary patterns in the context of specific diseases or people's longevity," he says. "Our study takes a multifaceted perspective, asking: How does diet affect people's ability to live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as they age?"

Healthy Diets

He and his colleagues used longitudinal data from 105,000 adults aged 39 to 69 (average age 53), collected between 1986 and 2016 as part of the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Participants completed regular dietary questionnaires over 30 years. The authors of the new study assessed their dietary habits by adhering to eight dietary patterns, seeking to determine which were most likely to promote healthy aging.

The eight dietary patterns are: the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, the Alternative Mediterranean Diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DADH), the Mediterranean Intervention for Neurodegeneration Delay, the Healthy Plant-Based Diet, the Planetary Health Diet, the Experimental Inflammatory Diet, and the Experimental Hyperinsulinemia Diet.

The researchers note that all eight dietary patterns share some basic tendencies, such as an emphasis on whole plant-based foods and healthy fats.

In addition to these eight patterns, the study examined participants' consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are industrial products that often contain many ingredients and high amounts of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.

Key Study Findings

The study found that 9,771 participants met their definition of healthy aging, representing 9.3% of the study sample.

The study also found that all eight dietary patterns are associated with healthy aging, so adhering to any of them increases the likelihood of maintaining a healthy weight into age 70.

This suggests that the solution isn't simple, the researchers noted, and there's no one-size-fits-all diet. However, one diet has emerged as the best, leading to a greater likelihood of living healthier in old age.

According to the findings, the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) is the best overall diet for healthy aging. The researchers explain that it's similar to the old Healthy Eating Index, but with a greater focus on preventing chronic disease.

The study found that people who followed the AHEI diet were 86% more likely to achieve healthy aging by age 70 than those who followed the AHEI.

The AHEI emphasizes plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, while minimizing consumption of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium, and refined grains.

"Because maintaining activity and independence is a priority for both individuals and public health, research in the field of healthy aging is essential," says Marta Guasch-Ferry, a nutritionist at Harvard University and co-author. She adds, "Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate amounts of healthy animal foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help inform future dietary guidelines."

In addition to the strongest association with overall healthy aging, the AHEI showed the strongest association with maintaining physical function and mental health.

On the other hand, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a lower likelihood of healthy aging.

"Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet," says Anne-Julie Tessier, lead author of the study and a nutritionist at the University of Montreal. "Healthy diets can be adapted to suit individual needs and preferences."