The way we live and what we eat affect the condition of our body as a whole. A study that analyzed the diets of almost half a million Britons found that those who consistently eat healthily could extend their lives by 10 years.
The experts extracted information about the volunteers’ lifestyle and health from the UK Biobank medical database. They divided the study participants into categories based on their eating habits, how they changed over time and how they ultimately affected their health.
The researchers found that those who followed a “Western” diet but changed their habits in midlife and started eating healthier foods (like the Mediterranean diet) lived 8.9 years (men) and 8.6 years (women). who continued to eat dried meat products, hamburgers and semi-finished products after 40 years.
Volunteers who participated in the experiment They didn’t completely cut out unhealthy food (hamburgers, fries), but they rarely ate it.
Men who gave up sugary drinks and meat products extended their lives by 10.8 years, and women by 10.4 years.
The participants replaced fatty foods with diet foods, bread with whole grains, and also started eating more fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
The benefits for study participants who changed their diet around age 70 were smaller but still significant. Men who avoided unhealthy food increased their life expectancy by 5.4 years, and women by five years.
“Our study shows that a better quality of diet is associated with a longer lifespan,” said study leader Dr. Lars Fadnes, professor of nutrition at the University of Bergen in Norway.
“The benefits of switching to a healthy diet in old age are less pronounced, but they exist and are very important. Therefore, it is never too late to change your eating habits and protect your health”, he concluded. The results were published in the scientific journal Nature Food.